Virginia Woolf (née Stephen)

Sitterback to top

• Virginia Woolf (née Stephen) (1882-1941), Novelist and critic; sister of Vanessa Bell. Sitter in 62 portraits.

Artistback to top

• George Charles Beresford (1864-1938), Photographer. Artist associated with 383 portraits, Sitter in 2 portraits.

This portraitback to top

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 publicationsback to top

• Faces of the Century, 1999 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 22 October 1999 to 30 January 2000), p. 108
• Cooper, John, Great Britons: The Great Debate, 2002, p. 21
• Cooper, John, Visitor's Guide, 2000, p. 93
• Funnell, Peter (introduction); Marsh, Jan, A Guide to Victorian and Edwardian Portraits, 2011, p. 44
• 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

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Faces of the Century (22 October 1999 - 30 January 2000)

Subject/Themeback to top

• In profile