Tennyson's Influence on Popular Art and Culture
Tennyson’s Arthurian poetry penetrated deeply into the daily lives of the people of his age. A series of twelve Minton tiles, designed by John Moyr Smith, depicted scenes and characters from the Idylls. Meant to decorate furniture and fireplaces, they were also found in such other household items as trivets and jardinières. As displayed here, Arthurian images were also used in items from buttons on clothing to photo mounts, and even as a coloring book, The Passing of Arthur (1928), edited by Agnes Nightingale.
Minton Tiles by John Moyr Smith, in Idylls of the King series.
Buttons with the image of King Arthur.
The Passing of Arthur Coloring Book.
The Lady of Shalott in her barge, photo mount.
A particularly striking example of Arthuriana (and of nineteenth-century interest in and practice of illumination) is the hand-decorated Songs from the Idylls of the King by Tennyson, with nine original illuminated pages.
