George Frederick Watts R.A., 1885

Henry Herschel Hay Cameron (1852 - 1911)

RA Collection: Art

Photogravure of a photograph of George Frederick Watts R.A. by Henry Herschel Hay Cameron, one of Julia Margaret Cameron's sons. Tennyson first encountered both Julia Margaret Cameron and George Frederick Watts R.A., at Little Holland House, the home of Mrs Prinsep and her husband Thoby. The Prinseps held regular Sunday gatherings attended by notable artists of the day. Such was the attraction of the Holland House entertainments, Emily Tennyson refered to it as the 'Enchanted Palace'. After their first meeting in 1857, Watts and Tennyson were to remain friends until Tennyson's death in 1892. They would dine together when the latter was in London and were often joined by others in the Tennyson circle, Thomas Woolner R.A., Robert Browning, Francis Palgrave and the Carlyles. Like Tennyson and Cameron,Watts also had a house on the Isle of Wight, 'The Briary' built by Philip Webb and guests would frequently meet the families and friends staying at Farringford and Dimbola.