Lear Gives Drawing Lessons to Queen Victoria
Poet involved
What happened
In recognition of his landscape work, Edward Lear was invited to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, England, to give Queen Victoria a series of drawing lessons. The engagement raised his social standing considerably and brought royal validation to his artistic career, despite his humble origins and lack of formal training.
Literary impact
The prestige of royal patronage gave Lear financial stability and social credibility just as he began publishing nonsense verse, allowing him the freedom to pursue his more whimsical literary ambitions alongside serious art.
Source: Wikipedia
