Not currently on display at the V&A

Print Collection

Lithograph
circa 1897 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Rothenstein, William (Sir) (artist)

This profile sketch of the actress Ellen Terry (1847-1928) by William Rothenstein (1872-1945), shows her seated, head rested on her left hand, gazing away from the viewer.
It has been signed by Ellen Terry 'Your loving friend', January 1898. She has also added quotations and phrases which seem to refer to personal anecdotes such as 'What a fretful cook!' and a quote from Joseph Henry Shorthouse (1834–1903) "Nothing but the infinite pity is sufficient for the infinite pathos of human life".


Object details

Categories
Prints
Entertainment & Leisure
Object type
Lithograph
TitlePrint Collection (named collection)
Materials and techniques
Pencil
Paper
Brief description
Lithograph of the actress Ellen Terry by William Rothenstein (circa 1898)
Physical description
A three quarter length pencil sketch of the actress Ellen Terry seated in profile. Her head is resting on her left hand, the other in her lap, holding a letter. She is wearing a dress that is gathered at the waist with loose sleeves and a wide, frilled neckline. Her hair is up and she is wearing a string of beads around her neck.
Dimensions
  • Height: 31.6cm
  • Width: 25.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • What a fretful Cook!/E.T. (Handwritten inscription on a scrap of paper attached to the bottom left hand corner of the sketch)
  • January - 1898= (Handwritten inscription written at an angle (sloping left to right) at the bottom left of the sketch)
  • Your loving friend/Ellen Terry= (Handwritten inscription, at an angle (sloping left to right). Signature of the sitter.)
  • "Nothing but/the infinite pity/is sufficient for/the infinite pathos/of human life"/(Shorthouse=) (Handwritten inscription above the bottom right hand corner of the sketch)
  • R97 (Small inscription, most probably intials of the artist and date of execution)
Object history
Given by Mr. John Smyth
Subject depicted
Terry, (Alice) Ellen (Dame)
Literary referenceJoseph Henry Shorthouse
Summary
This profile sketch of the actress Ellen Terry (1847-1928) by William Rothenstein (1872-1945), shows her seated, head rested on her left hand, gazing away from the viewer.
It has been signed by Ellen Terry 'Your loving friend', January 1898. She has also added quotations and phrases which seem to refer to personal anecdotes such as 'What a fretful cook!' and a quote from Joseph Henry Shorthouse (1834–1903) "Nothing but the infinite pity is sufficient for the infinite pathos of human life".
Collection
Theatre and Performance Collection
Accession number
S.396-1980

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Record createdMarch 10, 2010
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1156053/print-collection-lithograph-rothenstein-william-sir/
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