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Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin)

(1814-1898), Actress; wife of Sir Theodore Martin

Sitter in 21 portraits
Saville first appeared on stage as Beatrice in 1833 in a small theatre in Richmond. Two years later she made her début at Covent Garden as Julia in Sheridan Knowles's The Hunchback, arousing such enthusiasm that she was given a three-year contract as leading lady. She had a hugely successful acting career for the next fifteen years, playing many classical and modern roles. Her most popular part was Pauline in Bulwer-Lytton's new play The Lady of Lyons; in it she was said to run the gamut of emotions and make her audiences do the same. Her greatest talent was in suggesting suppressed emotion and unspoken thought by facial expression, gesture and vocal tone.

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'Popular Actresses', by Frederick Holland Mares, after  Alexander Bassano, and  Clarkington & Co (Charles Clarkington), and  Joseph Richard James, and  Horatio Nelson King, and  Camille Silvy, and possibly  Leonida Caldesi, and  Adolphe Paul Auguste Beau, and  Thomas Cranfield, and  Unknown photographers, published by  Ashford Brothers & Co - NPG x137000

'Popular Actresses'

by Frederick Holland Mares, after Alexander Bassano, and Clarkington & Co (Charles Clarkington), and Joseph Richard James, and Horatio Nelson King, and Camille Silvy, and possibly Leonida Caldesi, and Adolphe Paul Auguste Beau, and Thomas Cranfield, and Unknown photographers, published by Ashford Brothers & Co
albumen carte-de-visite, 1863
On display in Room 22 on Floor 2 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG x137000

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin), by Richard James Lane, printed by  Graf & Soret, published by  Joseph Dickinson, after  Sir Frederic William Burton - NPG D22057

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin)

by Richard James Lane, printed by Graf & Soret, published by Joseph Dickinson, after Sir Frederic William Burton
lithograph, published 1 February 1836
NPG D22057

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin) as Pauline in 'Lady of Lyons', by Richard James Lane, printed by  Jérémie Graf, published by  John Mitchell, after  Alfred Edward Chalon - NPG D22102

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin) as Pauline in 'Lady of Lyons'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon
hand-coloured lithograph, published 30 September 1839
NPG D22102

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin) as Pauline in Lytton's 'Lady of Lyons', by Julian Drummond, published by  Welch & Gwynne, after  Rose Myra Drummond - NPG D38292

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin) as Pauline in Lytton's 'Lady of Lyons'

by Julian Drummond, published by Welch & Gwynne, after Rose Myra Drummond
mezzotint, published 17 April 1843
NPG D38292

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin) as Pauline in Lytton's 'Lady of Lyons', by Julian Drummond, published by  Welch & Gwynne, after  Rose Myra Drummond - NPG D38293

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin) as Pauline in Lytton's 'Lady of Lyons'

by Julian Drummond, published by Welch & Gwynne, after Rose Myra Drummond
mezzotint, published 17 April 1843
NPG D38293

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin), by Richard James Lane, after  Sir Frederic William Burton - NPG D4430

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin)

by Richard James Lane, after Sir Frederic William Burton
lithograph, published 1857
NPG D4430

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin), by Richard James Lane, after  Sir Frederic William Burton - NPG D21855

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin)

by Richard James Lane, after Sir Frederic William Burton
lithograph, published circa 1857
NPG D21855

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin), by Richard James Lane, after  Sir Frederic William Burton - NPG D22004

Helen Faucit (Helena (née Faucit Saville), Lady Martin)

by Richard James Lane, after Sir Frederic William Burton
lithograph, published 1857
NPG D22004

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