Arts & Culture

The Toronto Public Library is loaning eight images of Ellen Terry to the upcoming show at the The Art Gallery of Ontario – Drama and Desire: Artists and the Theatre . These photographs and prints come from the Toronto Reference Library's Performing Arts archival collections.  All of the items below are from the Library's collection. If you are interested in more images of Ellen Terry you may also want to view the online collection of the National Portrait Gallery of England.

Ellen Terry was a world famous stage actress in Victorian and Edwardian England.  In her time she was as famous and respected as Meryl Streep, Katherine Hepburn or Bette Davis.

She was renowned for her dramatic stage interpretations of Shakespearean heroines such as Lady Macbeth. Her association with this tragic role is reflected in the large number of images of Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth and in particular the etching below based on the John Singer Sargent portrait.

In a time before computers, the Internet and television, photographs in the form of small carte de visite / CDV or larger sized cabinet cards were the popular means to spread a famous person's image.

   As well, paintings were being reproduced through etchings and lithography helping to popularize images in the newspapers and magazines of the times.  Inexpensive copies also provided affordable art suitable for framing in the home.

While there can be many copies of photographs and etchings the library has one unique item – a caricature (possibly a self portrait) of Ellen Terry.  This charming  pen and ink drawing shows her in profile at age 19, with her whole career ahead of her. It is most likely from a guest/autograph book that was common in many grand homes during the Victorian era.  It has a separate inscription in her own hand along with her signature.  It provides a rare and more intimate view of Ellen Terry.

Why not leave us a comment and let us know which is your favourite image of Ellen Terry ?