Edith Sitwell, you are a captivating beauty!

“I am not eccentric. It is just that I am more alive than most people are. I am an unpopular electric eel set in a pond of goldfish”.
(Edith Sitwell, quoted in Life magazine, 4 January 1963)

The first time I saw her image was when I was rifling though a jewelry publication.
There she was, large as life, wearing enormous rings. Two on one finger, and with large chunks of gemstones at that! Aquamarine, to be specific amongst others.
She’s known to have said “I feel very undressed without my rings” A feeling I can relate to:) – although I would never be able to carry that many carats on my petite fingers:)! Half, for sure;)

The image of Edith at the top right was taken by the renowned photographer Cecil Beaton. The one on the bottom right shows her wearing the “Aztec “ necklace, given to her by Millicent Rogers.
The image of her on the left is The One that captured and held my attention.

Edith Sitwell was a woman, a poet, who lived her truth. Never mind what people said! Whether they laughed, or threw insults at her. She lived her life true to herself.

Born to an affluent family in England in 1887, she was only 77 when she passed. Too early in my opinion. I was sad to read about her beginning, her childhood, which was an abusive one. Her parents were cruel and she was ill treated.
Watching an interview of her from the 1950’s, I was moved. I listened to her reveal some things and keep many to herself. I immediately understood that her loving bond with her two brothers would have certainly helped strengthen and sustain her through the painful and humiliating moments with her parents. All three became distinct writers, amazing!

She believed that “Poetry is the deification of reality, and one of its purposes is to show that the dimensions of man are, as Sir Arthur Eddington said, ‘half way between those of an atom and a star.'”

Edith Sitwell remained unmarried, being passionately in love with the Russian painter Pavel Tchelitchew. Sadly it was not to be, for he was gay. They did the next best thing – enjoyed a platonic friendship, a deep and intellectual one.

I could go on about her intriguing life, but I will leave you with a link to the interview of her that I loved watching – Edith Sitwell 1959 – and with the thought that…

… All jewelry, especially rings that we wear, eventually become an extension of ourselves and a part of the narrative of our lives…

Thank you Dame Edith Sitwell for leaving a powerful example of the beauty of living the unique person that you were born to be. For the work of art that you were, and for the strength you had to continue being yourself regardless of any mockery and rejection that came your way- I’m sure you have been and still are an inspiration to many x
*(The jewels of Edith Sitwell are exhibited at the V&A.)