Illustrations of Tennyson's Idylls of the King
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Priolo, Paolo. Illustrations of Tennyson's Idylls of the King: Produced Expressly for the Art-Union of London. London: Art Union of London, 1863.
In 1860, the Art Union of London sponsored a contest to illustrate the 1859 Idylls of the King. The prize of one hundred guineas 'for a series of designs in outline, or outline slightly shaded,' was to be awarded to the drawings that exhibited 'Simplicity of composition and expression, severe beauty of form, and pure correct drawing.' The contest—the 'Art Union's first attempt to encourage outline drawing through a competition since the disappointing 1844 competition,' for which there were only nineteen entries—elicited forty-three entries (for a total of 540 drawings), an increase in number no doubt due to the popularity of Tennyson's poems. The entries were exhibited publicly in London for four weeks. The submission of sixteen drawings by Paolo Priolo was chosen as the winner, and the drawings were subsequently published and presented to Art Union subscribers. Of these sixteen drawings, ten were based on the idylls devoted to the 'true' women (six to 'Enid' and four to 'Elaine') and only six were devoted to the 'false' women (four to 'Vivien' and two to 'Guinevere'). Although Priolo's illustrations seem rather conventional, they do bespeak a trained artist with a good deal of technical skill. And the viewing public surely saw in them edifying images of Enid's virtue, Elaine's devotion as she tends to the wounded Lancelot, Vivien's wiles, and Guinevere's repentance as she enters the nunnery and as she watches Arthur depart after he visits her there.
