Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson

Sitterback to top

• Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (1809-1892), Poet Laureate. Sitter in 86 portraits.

Artistback to top

• James Mudd (1821-1906). Artist associated with 9 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This is one of the finest early photographs of the poet. It was given wide currency through its publication on 15 April 1861 by the firm of Cundall & Co. Tennyson began to grow his beard in 1857 and never shaved again. The fashion, shared by many of his contemporaries, seems to have been influenced by soldiers returning from the Crimean War (1853-6), where harsh conditions prevented shaving. The same conflict inspired one of his most famous poems, The Charge of the Light Brigade (1855).

Linked publicationsback to top

• Rogers, Malcolm, Camera Portraits, 1989 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 20 October 1989 - 21 January 1990), p. 59

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Alfred, Lord Tennyson (30 March 2009 - 15 November 2009)