Ruth Herbert

Ruth Herbert was an actress - her stage name being Louisa Herbert - and friend of Rossetti. The Powell inventory records ''Ruth Herbert, formerly manageress of St. James' Theatre, London''. She was manageress there until 1867. Powell wrote about this drawing in the 'College Magazine 1882-83': ''Pictures of this noblest of artist-poets being of such extreme rarity and immense value, it has taken me five years of constant search to find this very interesting specimen''. The drawing imitates the format of an Italian Renaissance portrait with a symbolic branch and ANNO XXV giving her age. Other drawings and watercolours of Herbert are known.