Sidonia von Bork 1560

Sidonia von Borcke was a Pomeranian noblewoman who was tried and executed for witchcraft. In posthumous legends, she is depicted as a femme fatale, and she has entered English literature as Sidonia the Sorceress. She lived in the city of Stettin, Germany (today Szczecin, Poland). Sidonia von Bork is also the central character in Wilhelm Meinhold's gothic romance "Sidonia the Sorceress." The novel chronicles the crimes of the evil Sidonia, whose beauty captivates all who see her. 

She is shown here at the court of the dowager Duchess of Wolgast, one of the early intrigues in a career that leads to her execution as a witch. Many of the details of Sidonia's appearance are taken directly from Meinhold's description, but the costume is derived from a portrait of Isabella d'Este by Giulio Romano at Hampton Court. This is one of three figure studies, which were the earliest watercolours Burne-Jones completed.