PORTRAIT BY FREDERICK HOLLYER (1838-1933), vintage photograph, platinum print, half length, leaning his head on his right hand, SIGNED AND DATED BY BEARDSLEY ('from Aubrey Beardsley. 1893', upper left-hand corner above where signed cut off presumably removing the recipient's name), photographer's name and address in red on the verso, framed and glazed, size of image 4 x 6 inches (10 x 15 cm), overall size 12 x 15 inches (31 x 38 cm) [1893]
No example of this image is in the National Portrait Gallery. It is reproduced by Sturgis and Brophy.
Beardsley suggested to Smithers that he use one of Hollyer's photographs as 'the best frontispiece' for Fifty Drawings (Letters, [18 August 1896]). He also sent copies to the Harlands and Rothenstein, and to Max Beerbohm he sent a copy of it painted over in water-colour to make a self-caricature.
REFERENCES: The Letters of Aubrey Beardsley, edited by Henry Maas, J.L. Duncan and W.G. Good, 1970; Bridgid Brophy, Aubrey Beardsley and his World, 1976; Matthew Sturgis, Aubrey Beardsley: A Biography, 1998.
