Dame Ellen Terry 1847-1928
Past display archive
7 June - 9 November 2008
Room 26
Free
Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth in 'Macbeth'
by Window & Grove
1888
NPG x16980
As a teenager, Terry's fame was enhanced when she married the celebrated artist George Frederick Watts, and posed for him for several paintings, including the famous portrait Choosing, also on display in this room. The marriage was short-lived, but Terry was established as a muse for artists and writers of the Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic movements. As leading lady to the famous actor-manager Henry Irving, Terry triumphed in Shakespearean roles and was adored by Victorian audiences. Her stage career lasted sixty-nine years.
Related portraits
- Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice' (NPG x16988)
- Ellen Terry as Beatrice in 'Much Ado About Nothing' (NPG x16982)
- Ellen Terry as Viola in 'Twelfth Night' (NPG x16984)
- Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth in 'Macbeth' (NPG x16980)
- Ellen Terry (NPG x26815)
- Ellen Terry (NPG x9172)
- Ellen Terry (NPG x16968)