Virginia Woolf (née Stephen)

Virginia Woolf (née Stephen)

by George Charles Beresford
platinum print, July 1902
6 in. x 4 1/4 in. (152 mm x 108 mm)
Purchased, 1983
Primary Collection
NPG P221

Sitter

Virginia Woolf (née Stephen) (1882-1941), Novelist and critic; sister of Vanessa Bell. Sitter associated with 61 portraits.

Artist

George Charles Beresford (1864-1938), Photographer. Artist associated with 378 portraits, Sitter in 2 portraits.

This Portrait

This photograph was taken in July 1902, when Virginia Woolf (Virginia Stephen as she was then) was just embarking on her career as a writer and when the photographer George Charles Beresford had recently set up a commercial studio in Yeoman's Row, off the Brompton Road. Since her father, Sir Leslie Stephen and her sister, Vanessa, were photographed at the same time, one may presume that the idea was Sir Leslie's. Apparently six photographs were taken of Sir Leslie, fourteen of Virginia and an unspecified number of Vanessa. The result, so far as Virginia was concerned, was remarkable, showing her looking pale and contemplative and emphasizing her beautiful liquid eyes and strong aquiline features.

Linked Publications

Faces of the Century, 1999 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 22 October 1999 - 30 January 2000), p. 108
The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 171
Cooper, John, Great Britons: The Great Debate, 2002, p. 21
Cooper, John, Visitor's Guide, 2000, p. 93
Gibson, Robin; Clerk, Honor, 20th Century Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery Collection, 1993, p. 14
Rogers, Malcolm, Camera Portraits, 1989 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 20 October 1989 - 21 January 1990), p. 147
Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: an illustrated guide, 2000, p. 171
Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 171
Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 677
Spalding, Frances, Insights: The Bloomsbury Group, 2005, p. 32