Text of poem 'Lancelot and Elaine' from 'Illustrations to Tennyson's Idylls of the King and Other Poems', vol. 1
Photograph
1875 (printed)
1875 (printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In 1874, Julia Margaret Cameron's neighbor, and renowned poet, Alfred Tennyson suggested that Cameron create some illustrations for a new volume of his series of poems on Arthurian legends, "Idylls of the King." In the end, only three images were used, as woodcuts, but the full-size prints were later published in two volumes and were accompanied by excerpts from Tennyson's text and his signature. This is a section of verse from volume one.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Ink on paper |
| Brief description | Text of poem 'Lancelot and Elaine' from 'Illustrations to Tennyson's Idylls of the King and Other Poems', vol. 1, 1875, illustrated with photographs by Julia Margaret Cameron |
| Physical description | Printed page of poem text in book of poems with photographic illustrations. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Lancelot and Elaine
So in her tower alone the maiden sat:
His very shield was gone; only the case,
Her own poor work, her empty labour, left.
But still she heard him, still his picture form'd
And grew between her and the pictured wall.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
And in those days she made a little song,
And called her song ‘The Song of Love and Death,’
And sang it: sweetly could she make and sing.
‘Sweet is true love though given in vain, in vain;
And sweet is death who puts an end to pain:
I know not which is sweeter, no, not I.
‘Love, art thou sweet? then bitter death must be:
Love, thou art bitter; sweet is death to me.
O Love, if death be sweeter, let me die.
‘Sweet love, that seems not made to fade away,
Sweet death, that seems to make us loveless clay,
I know not which is sweeter, no, not I.
‘I fain would follow love, if that could be;
I needs must follow death, who calls for me;
Call and I follow, I follow! let me die.’
A Tennyson' |
| Credit line | Gift of Miss M. Ffytche, 1927 |
| Object history | Originally part of a bound folio volume containing 11 photographs by Cameron and 11 pages of verse text by Tennyson and 3 other text pages (two photographs are missing, the frontispiece image of Tennyson and the last image, 'The Passing of Arthur'). Volume 1 of two albums of illustrations to Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King and other Poems' published by Henry S. King & Co., 1874-75). Each photograph is mounted on bluish mounts with gilt borders. |
| Associations | |
| Literary reference | 'Illustrations to Tennyson's Idylls of the King, and other poems', vol. 1, by Julia Margaret Cameron. London: Henry S. King & Co., 1875. |
| Summary | In 1874, Julia Margaret Cameron's neighbor, and renowned poet, Alfred Tennyson suggested that Cameron create some illustrations for a new volume of his series of poems on Arthurian legends, "Idylls of the King." In the end, only three images were used, as woodcuts, but the full-size prints were later published in two volumes and were accompanied by excerpts from Tennyson's text and his signature. This is a section of verse from volume one. |
| Associated object | 87-1970 (Part) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 87:1-1970 |
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| Record created | May 8, 2014 |
| Record URL |
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