King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid

1875

Medium

Albumen silver print

Dimensions

32.2 × 26.5 cm

Status

In Museum Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-820528

> Julia Margaret Cameron’s ambitious project to illustrate Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s *Idylls* *of the King* (1872), a collection of poetry he had written over a period of nearly forty years, resulted in two lavishly bound volumes. The second of these, issued in May 1875, included illustrations to additional poems. Like the first volume, it featured thirteen photographs, one of which was a frontispiece portrait of the poet. The pictures were accompanied by excerpts from Tennyson’s verse, painstakingly written in Cameron’s own hand and lithographed for multiple reproduction. His signature was often reproduced under the poems and with her portrait of him. This enhanced the value of the books and validated Cameron’s claim for the reciprocal status of poetry and photography. In addition to bound volumes, the photographs were also sold individually and made available as albumen and carbon prints. While Tennyson had very little involvement in Cameron’s compositions for the *Idylls*, he found her studies to be well attuned to his works. Despite her best efforts, however, the set failed commercially. > > Cameron’s composition for *King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid* illustrates with accuracy…