Sarah Bernhardt
(1844-1923), ActressSarah Henriette Rosine Bernhardt
Sitter associated with 37 portraits
World-renowned Parisian-born actress, Bernhardt entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1859. Made her debut at the Comédie-Française in 1862 and moved to the Odéon, where she won fame as Doña Maria in Victor Hugo's Ruy Blas (1872) before retuning to the Comédie-Française. After 1876 she made frequent appearances in America, Europe and London where she mixed with the artistic elite including Ellen Terry and Oscar Wilde. Her most applauded roles include Phèdre (1874) and Marguerite in La Dame aux camélias (1884). Founded the Théàtre Sarah Bernhardt in 1899. In 1915 she had a leg amputated but carried on performing.
Sarah Bernhardt as Leonora in 'Dalila'
by J. Tourtin
albumen carte-de-visite, 1870s
NPG x12778
Sarah Bernhardt as Doña Maria in 'Ruy Blas'
by Charles Reutlinger
albumen carte-de-visite, 1870s
NPG x12779
by Unknown photographer
albumen print, 1870s
NPG x135819
Sarah Bernhardt as Mistress Clarckson in 'L'Etrangère'
by Walery, printed and published by Goupil & Co
photogravure, published January 1889 (1876)
NPG x1192
by Alphonse J. Liébert (Liibert)
albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1878
NPG x1190
Sarah Bernhardt as Doña Maria in 'Ruy Blas'
by Melandri, published by Wyman & Sons
woodburytype, published 1 June 1879
NPG Ax129598
by Melandri, published by Wyman & Sons
woodburytype, published 1 June 1879
NPG Ax129599
probably by W. & D. Downey
woodburytype, 1879
NPG Ax7668
by W. & D. Downey
albumen cabinet card, 1879
NPG x144186
Sarah Bernhardt in 'Frou-Frou'
by Napoleon Sarony
albumen panel card, 1880
NPG x1191
after Napoleon Sarony
albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1880
NPG x27585
by Napoleon Sarony, published by Burt Sharp
albumen carte-de-visite, published 1886-1894
NPG x5681
Sarah Bernhardt as Théodora in Sardou's play 'Théodora'
by W. & D. Downey, published by Cassell & Company, Ltd
carbon print, published 1890
NPG Ax14721
Sarah Bernhardt as Théodora in Sardou's play 'Théodora'
by W. & D. Downey, published by Cassell & Company, Ltd
carbon print, published 1890
NPG x5682
by W. & D. Downey
platinotype panel card, 1890s
NPG x127271
by Nadar, published by Ogden's
cigarette card, published circa 1894-1907
NPG x197008
by Nadar, published by Ogden's
cigarette card, published circa 1894-1907
NPG x197009
Sarah Bernhardt as Mélisande in 'La Princesse Lointaine'
by Reutlinger
carbon print, published 1 June 1895
NPG Ax28880
Sarah Bernhardt in 'La Dame aux Camélias'
by Paul Boyer
bromide postcard print, circa 1899
NPG x138182
by Elliott & Fry
half-plate glass copy negative, 1901
NPG x82278
by Elliott & Fry
chlorobromide print on cream card mount, 1901
NPG x127410
by Elliott & Fry
bromide print, 1901
NPG x86349
by H. Walter Barnett
modern bromide print from original negative, 1910
NPG x135808
Sarah Bernhardt ('Women of Genius. No. 1.')
by Théobald Chartran ('T')
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 5 July 1879
NPG D43912
'Bits of Sarah' (Possibly Sarah Bernhardt)
by Percy Frederick Seaton Spence
pencil, early 1890s
NPG D23134(14b)
by Frédéric Florian, or by Ernest Florian, after Jan Marie Constantin van Beers
wood engraving, probably 1890s
NPG D1062
after a photograph by Nadar
relief halftone, probably 1890s
NPG D1063
by (J?.) Lomering
coloured chalk, 1890s
NPG D30
by Percy Frederick Seaton Spence
pencil, 1891
NPG D23134(31)
published by William Heinemann, after William Nicholson
lithographic reproduction of a hand-coloured woodcut, published 1897
NPG D9631
published by William Heinemann, after William Nicholson
lithographic reproduction of a hand-coloured woodcut, published 1899 (1897)
NPG D32973
Sarah Bernhardt ('Woman of the Day. No. 2296. "Madame Sarah Bernhardt."')
by 'K'
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 30 October 1912
NPG D45686
by Cecil Beaton
pen and ink
NPG D3634
Benoît Constant Coquelin ('Coquelin aîné'); Sarah Bernhardt
by W. & D. Downey
albumen cabinet card, 1870s-1900s
NPG x19002
Sarah Bernhardt as Théodora in Sardou's play 'Théodora'
by W. & D. Downey
carbon print, published 1890
NPG x5683
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