Text of poem 'The Holy Grail' 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 page of text from volume one.
Object details
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| Materials and techniques | Ink on paper |
| Brief description | Text of poem 'The Holy Grail' 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 | 'The Holy Grail
But she, the wan sweet maiden, shore away
Clean from her forehead all that wealth of hair
Which made a silken mat-work for her feet;
And out of this she plaited broad and long
A strong sword-belt, and wove with silver thread
And crimson in the belt a strange device,
A crimson grail within a silver beam;
And saw the bright boy-knight, and bound it on him,
Saying, “My knight, my love, my knight of heaven,
O thou, my love, whose love is one with mine,
I, maiden, round thee, maiden, bind my belt.
Go forth, for thou shalt see what I have seen,
And break through all, till one will crown thee king
Far in the spiritual city.......
A Tennyson' |
| Credit line | The Royal Photographic Society Collection at the V&A, acquired with the generous assistance of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Art Fund. |
| 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 page of text from volume one. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | RPS.1092:24-2017 |
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| Record created | November 22, 2017 |
| Record URL |
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