Queen Victoria by William Nicholson

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Queen Victoria

William Nicholson

1899

Lithographic reproduction of a hand-coloured woodcut

10 x 9 1/8 in. (25.4 x 23.2 cm.)

Published by William Heinemann 1899 (September)

Collection: Liss Fine Art

Provenance: The William Heinemann Archive 2004

See commentary below

With thanks to Liss Fine Art for allowing us to include this image and accompanying text. Readers may wish to consult their website.

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the Liss Fine Art and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.]

When Nicholson offered his jubilee portrait of Queen Victoria to William Heinemann, the publisher demurred. His partner Sidney Pawling then showed it to W. E. Henley, the editor of The New Review, who promptly seized it for publication. It appeared in 1897 . as a double-page supplement and was immediately successful. After the collapse of The New Review it was re-issued by Heinemann as no. 1 in the first series of Twelve Portraits, 1899. Nicholson's image of the Queen as 'an animated tea-cosy' became one of the lasting impressions of the final years of her reign. The compliment he cherished most was the one he received from Whistler at their first meeting.

Appropriately enough, it took place at the house of William Heinemann at Thames Ditton, When Whistler described Queen Victoria as 'A wonderful portrait, Mr Nicholson', the young artist could only reply that she was a wonderful subject. Whistler's rejoinder could not have meant more; 'You know, Her Majesty might say the same of you.'

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Last modified 2 April 2013