Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) was an innovative and influential modern novelist, who favoured the ‘stream of consciousness’ genre. Mrs Dalloway (1925), To The Lighthouse (1927) and Orlando (1928) are among her best known works. She was also a literary critic, essayist, biographer and conservationist. She suffered mental health problems, which led to her committing suicide.

She lived on the south side of Tavistock Square (1924-39).  The sculptor, Stephen Tomlin, who was part of the Bloomsbury set,  first suggested sculpting her in 1924, finally she gave him six sittings in 1931.  His is the only sculptural representation of her from life. This bronze portrait bust on a Portland stone plinth was erected in 2004. There are replicas of the bust at Monk’s House (NT) Rodmell, Lewes; in lead (1931)  at the National Portrait Gallery, London and a third later cast at the British Library (1990).

Location: Tavistock Square, London WC1