Sir Leslie Stephen

Sitterback to top

• Sir Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), Writer, philosopher and mountaineer; first editor of the Dictionary of National Biography. Sitter in 13 portraits.

Artistback to top

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

This portraitback to top

At the time these photographs were taken, Stephen was working on his final book. It was a biography of Thomas Hobbes, about whom he evidently enjoyed writing: 'a dour cynical old gentleman, and therefore…just suited to me'. Long after his death, Virginia Woolf memorably described her father: 'he was beautiful in the distinguished way a race horse, even an ugly race horse, is beautiful'.

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Sir Leslie Stephen (5 April 2007 - 9 December 2007)