Tennyson Reading <hi rend="i"> <title level="wrk">Maud Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1 1855 September
Alfred, Lord Tennyson <artist/> <location/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnpictorial> <citnmythic> <name/> <culture/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnmythic> <citnhistorical> <event/> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnhistorical> <citnautobiographical> <name/> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnautobiographical> <citnscenic> <place/> <date/> <bibl/> <note/> </citnscenic> </listcitn> </source> <commentaries> <head>Commentary</head> <section type="intro"> <head>Introduction</head> <p>This famous picture, of which DGR made three versions, records the event that took place at the Browning's home on the evening of 27 September 1855. The <xref doc="a.s526.rap">first version</xref>, which DGR gave to the Brownings, was made during the reading, though Tennyson was unaware of what DGR was doing. DGR made <xref doc="a.s526.r-1.rap">a pen and ink copy</xref> for Elizabeth Siddal which he sent to her in Paris. A <xref doc="a.s526.r-2.rap">second copy</xref> was apparently made much later and given to William Sharp.</p> <p>DGR later (8 January 1856) wrote to Allingham about the evening: “During two evenings when Tennyson was at their house in London, Mrs. Browning left T. with her husband & William & me (who were the fortunate remnant of the male party) to discuss the universe, & gave all her attention to some certainly not very exciting ladies in the next room. I never was more amused in my life than by Tennyson's groanings and horrors over the reviews of Maud, which poem he read through to us, spouting also several sections to be introduced in a new edition. I made a sketch of him reading, which I gave to Browning, and afterwards duplicated it for Miss S[iddal] (see <bibl> <author>Fredeman</author>, <xref doc="a." from="80" link="dead"> <title> <hi rend="i">Correspondence</hi> , 55. 58.).

Textual History: Composition

Textual History: Revision

Production History

Reception

Iconographic

Pictorial

Historical

Literary

Translation

Autobiographical

Bibliographic

Fredeman, “Rossetti's Impromptu Portraits of Tennyson Reading <hi rend="i">Maud</hi>” , 1963 Surtees, <hi rend="i">A Catalogue Raisonné</hi> , I. 198-199 (no. 526). Wildman, <hi rend="i">Visions of Love and Life</hi> , 148-149.

Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery drawing Dante Gabriel Rossetti, An Illustrated Memorial of His Art and Life H. C. Marillier 1899 0 Tennyson Reading Maud DGR 1855 September 27 27 Sept 1855 pen and ink 1 Tennyson Reading Maud DGR 1855 pen and brown and black ink, and gray wash 3 Tennyson Reading Maud DGR 1855 September 27 black ink and sepia wash 1