Study for an Illustration for 'Romola': 'The Blind Scholar and his Daughter'

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Drawing details

Title: Study for an Illustration for 'Romola': 'The Blind Scholar and his Daughter'
Date: c.1862
Media: Pencil on tracing paper
Dimensions: 16.4 x 10.7 cm
Location: Royal Academy of Arts, London
Picture credit: Royal Academy of Arts, London
Reference number: 04/948
Inscriptions: Inscribed lower right "No. 46" in pen and ink.

Interpretation

This scene shows the character Romola at a lectern, reading a passage of Latin to her blind father. This illustration was engraved by W. J. Linton and published in the 'Cornhill Magazine' (volume 6, opposite p.1). George Eliot and Leighton corresponded at length over the illustrations, revealing the complicated relationship between author and illustrator. She wrote to Leighton expressing general admiration of the sketch he sent her for this scene, but added 'I feel now with regret that if we had...talked a little together after you had read the proof, the only important discrepancy might have been prevented...I should have wished Bardo's head to be raised with the chin thrust forward a little - the usual attitude of the blind head...Romola's attitude is perfect, and the composition is altogether such as gives me a very cheering prospect for the future when we have more time for preparation...'. Although Eliot said that Romola's face and hair were 'deliciously beautiful', she was censorious over minor details complaining that she 'meant the hair to fall foward from behind the ears over the neck, amd the dress to be without ornament.' Soon afterwards however, after some consideration, Eliot wrote to Leighton in more conciliatory terms, stating that 'the exigencies of your art must forbid perfect correspondence between the text and the illustration; and I came to the conclusion that it was these exigencies which had determined you as to the position of Bardo's head and the fall of Romola's hair' (see Barrington, references).

Description

Traced study for the composition of the illustration 'The Blind Scholar and his Daughter', Chapter V, Book I, for 'Romola' (1862-63). Apart from being reversed, this tracing is very similar in composition to the finished illustration although lacking a few minor details such as the plant on the window sill. There is some overdrawing where Leighton has made corrections, for instance on the sculpture of a female figure on the lower right. 

Provenance

Bequeathed by the artist to his sisters, Mrs. Augusta Matthews (nTe Augusta Neunburg Leighton, 1835-1919) and Mrs. Alexandra Orr (nTe Alexandra Leighton, 1828-1903); presented to the Royal Academy of Arts, London by Matthews and Orr in 1896 

Bibliography

• Barrington, Mrs. Russell, 'The Life, Letters and Work of Frederic, Lord Leighton', George Allen, London, 1906, volume II, p.96-7