LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL(from a crayon by William
Page in 1842, owned by Mrs. Charles F. Briggs,
Brooklyn, N. Y.) _Frontispiece_
The Annotated Edition
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. by James Russell Lowell
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This brief text isn’t a traditional poem; it’s actually a caption for an illustration at the front of a book—a crayon portrait of James Russell Lowell created by William Page in 1842.
- Themes
- art, friendship, identity
§01Quick summary
What this poem is about
This brief text isn’t a traditional poem; it’s actually a caption for an illustration at the front of a book—a crayon portrait of James Russell Lowell created by William Page in 1842. It straightforwardly states who the subject is, the medium used, the artist's name, and who currently owns the piece. In its concise form, it serves as a subtle snapshot of a moment in the life of a young writer, captured through art.
§02Themes
Recurring themes
§03Line by line
Stanza by stanza, with notes
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL (from a crayon by William / Page in 1842, owned by Mrs. Charles F. Briggs, / Brooklyn, N. Y.) _Frontispiece_
Editor's note
The entire text serves as a single caption. It identifies the subject (Lowell himself), the medium (crayon drawing), the artist (William Page, a well-known American portrait painter), the date (1842, when Lowell was 23 and starting his literary career), and the custodian of the artwork (Mrs. Charles F. Briggs of Brooklyn, wife of Lowell's close friend and editor, Charles F. Briggs). The term *Frontispiece* indicates that this image was positioned at the very front of a book, a traditional spot of honor typically reserved for a portrait of the author or subject.
§04Tone & mood
How this poem feels
The tone is strictly documentary — flat, factual, and archival. While it may lack emotional depth, there's a subtle reverence in the meticulous recording of who created the image, when it was made, and who holds it now. It presents a young man's portrait as something deserving of careful preservation and accurate attribution.
§05Symbols & metaphors
Symbols & metaphors
- The crayon portrait
- A crayon (chalk) drawing was a popular and personal medium in the 1840s—less formal than oil and more intimate. Using this medium to depict Lowell suggests a wish to capture him as he truly was in his private life, rather than as a public figure.
- The frontispiece position
- Putting a portrait at the very front of a book serves as an introduction — it invites readers to "look at this person before diving into the text." It sets the stage for everything that follows, making it clear that the content is shaped by this particular human experience and identity.
- The named owner (Mrs. Charles F. Briggs)
- Recording ownership links the artwork to friendship and community. Charles F. Briggs was a true literary ally of Lowell, so having the portrait in that household ties together art, identity, and personal loyalty.
§06Historical context
Historical context
James Russell Lowell (1819–1891) was a key figure in American literature, known for his roles as a poet, critic, and editor of *The Atlantic Monthly*, and later, as a diplomat. William Page (1811–1885) gained fame as an American portrait painter, celebrated for his rich and psychologically insightful likenesses. His 1842 crayon drawing of Lowell depicts the poet at 23, just before his first major publications. Charles F. Briggs, a New York editor and novelist, became one of Lowell's closest friends and professional partners. This caption likely would have been included in a collected edition or biography of Lowell's work, probably published in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, when it was common to start a volume with a photographic or engraved portrait. The note on provenance — indicating who owns the original — showcases the scholarly attention typical of these editions.
§07FAQ
Questions readers ask
Strictly speaking, no — it's a bibliographic caption for a frontispiece illustration. There’s no meter, rhyme, or lyrical intent. It shows up in a list of illustrations, a common feature in books from this period. We're looking at it here because it's included in Lowell's collected works and provides genuine historical insight into his life and connections.
William Page was one of the most respected American portrait painters of the nineteenth century, often referred to as 'the American Titian.' Getting your portrait painted by Page in 1842 signified a certain cultural status. This indicates that even at just 23, Lowell was already engaging with prominent artistic circles.
In the 1840s, the term 'crayon' described chalk or pastel drawing rather than the waxy sticks that kids use today. This medium was favored for portraits because it was quicker and more affordable than oil painting while still able to capture intricate details and delicate tonal variations.
Editions like this one were created with careful scholarship, and documenting provenance — the ownership of the original artwork — was common practice. This helped readers or researchers locate the original if they wished to study it.
She was married to Charles Frederick Briggs, an editor and novelist from New York who helped start *Putnam's Monthly Magazine* and was a close friend of Lowell. The portrait that remained in her home after her husband's death hints that it was a personal gift or keepsake tied to their friendship.
A frontispiece is an illustration found on the page opposite the title page of a book — it’s the first image a reader sees. In the collected literary editions of the nineteenth century, portraits of authors were the most typical frontispieces.
Lowell was born in 1819, making him 23 years old in 1842. He had just released his first major collection of poems, as *A Year's Life* was published in 1841, marking his debut. This portrait captures him at the very beginning of his public literary career.
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