Clementina Maude as a nun
Photograph
ca. 1864 (photographed)
ca. 1864 (photographed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The pose of the nun in this photograph is very similar to that of the Virgin Mary in a picture illustrated by Anna Jameson in her influential book Legends of the Madonna (3rd edition, London, 1864). Virginia Dodier, the biographer of Lady Hawarden, points out that the two images share such features as uplifted eyes, veil and crossed arms.
The pioneers of photography in the 1840s and 1850s were familiar with paintings by the famous artists of the past. Lady Hawarden herself had studied in Rome. Emulation of the Old Masters was also to inspire Julia Margaret Cameron, who began photographing in 1864. This was Hawarden’s last year as a photographer.
The pioneers of photography in the 1840s and 1850s were familiar with paintings by the famous artists of the past. Lady Hawarden herself had studied in Rome. Emulation of the Old Masters was also to inspire Julia Margaret Cameron, who began photographing in 1864. This was Hawarden’s last year as a photographer.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Photograph |
| Brief description | 19thC; Hawarden C, D 672, 5 Princes Gardens, Clementina, c. 1864 |
| Physical description | Sepia photograph, mounted on green card, showing a young woman dressed as a nun, arms crossed on her chest. Horticultural Gardens, South Kensington: photography booth: Clementina (three-quarter length) in fancy dress (nun or saint, with wimple), eyes up, hands crossed on breast. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Unlimited edition |
| Credit line | Given by Lady Clementina Tottenham |
| Historical context | From departmental notes 'Clementina, Lady Hawarden (Untitled) Photographic Study (or) Study from Life (D.672) c.1864 Horticultural Gardens, South Kensington: photography booth: Clementina (three-quarter length) in fancy dress (nun or saint, with wimple), eyes up, hands crossed on breast. Inscription (verso): No. 212; Inscription (verso of mount): (X614-)212 229 x 218 mm PH 377-1947 Literature: Microfilm: 3.18.139 Towards a Bigger Picture, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1987. Clementina appears to have been her mother's favourite model. She was very gifted, capable of a range of expressions and gestures, and she was superbly photogenic. For Lady Hawarden's camera she played the parts of saints and sinners, men and women, modern and antique. She was Lady Hawarden's Magdalen, as seen in photographs Ph 457-1968:440 (D.438) and Ph 4571968:410 (D.440). In this photograph she is possibly meant to be the Madonna, in an attitude and costume borrowed from the Old Masters.' |
| Production | Reason For Production: Exhibition Reason For Production: Retail |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The pose of the nun in this photograph is very similar to that of the Virgin Mary in a picture illustrated by Anna Jameson in her influential book Legends of the Madonna (3rd edition, London, 1864). Virginia Dodier, the biographer of Lady Hawarden, points out that the two images share such features as uplifted eyes, veil and crossed arms. The pioneers of photography in the 1840s and 1850s were familiar with paintings by the famous artists of the past. Lady Hawarden herself had studied in Rome. Emulation of the Old Masters was also to inspire Julia Margaret Cameron, who began photographing in 1864. This was Hawarden’s last year as a photographer. |
| Bibliographic reference | V. Dodier, Clementina, Lady Hawarden: Studies from Life 1857-64, V&A Publications 1999, p.51
Literature: Microfilm: 3.18.139 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 377-1947 |
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| Record created | February 13, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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