Correspondence

4375.  EBB to Frederic Leighton

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 26, 111–112.

43. Bocca di Leone

April 1– [1859] [1]

Dear Mr Leighton,

The portrait is beautiful, & would satisfy me entirely except for a want of strength about the brow .. which I must write of, because I cant trust Robert himself with the message– I think the brow is feeble, less massive than his—with less fulness about the temples! In fact, your temple is hollow, instead of full .. will you look at it by the original?– The eyes and mouth are exquisite– Your pencil has the expressiveness of another’s brush–

How much I thank you for having put so much of my husband upon paper, is proved by the very insolences of my criticisms–

Most truly yours,

Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Publication: Emilie I. Barrington, The Life, Letters and Work of Frederic Leighton (London, 1906), II, 93–94.

Manuscript: Eton College Library, Michael Meredith Collection.

1. Year provided by EBB’s reference to Frederic Leighton’s portrait of RB (see letter 4370, note 22).

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