• Skip to main content
  • Skip to main navigation
Baylor University
University Libraries, Museums, and the Press
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Collection Management
    • Employment & Internships
    • Fellowships & Grants
    • Marketing, Communications & Media
    • Meet the Dean
    • Mission & Vision
    • People
      • Find Your Librarian
      • Library Organizational Charts
      • Specialists Directory
    • Policies
    • Spaces
      • Moody PODS
      • Study Zones in Moody and Jones
  • Research
    • A-Z Databases
    • Baylor Archival Repositories Database (BARD)
    • BEARdata
    • BEARdocs
    • Borrow, Request, Renew
    • BUTANE (BU Transcript Analytics & Exploration)
    • Copyright Guidance
    • Data & Digital Scholarship
    • Digital Collections
    • Interlibrary Loan / OSOFast
      • Distance Education & Faculty Abroad Library Services
      • OsoFast Delivery
    • Library Guides (LibGuides)
    • Managing Citations
    • Off-Campus Access
    • OneSearch
    • Research Support
      • Data and Digital Scholarship
      • Government Documents
      • Liaison Librarians: Find Your Librarian
      • Libraries Literacies
      • Public Services
    • Research Technology
  • Discover
    • Baylor Libraries Blog - Promoting Discovery
    • Baylor Press
    • Black Gospel Archive
      • Black Gospel Music Preservation Program
      • Black Gospel Archive & Listening Center
      • Black Gospel Music Royce-Darden Digital Collection
      • Black Gospel Preachers Project
    • Black Gospel Archive Symposium
      • 2025 Symposium: We've Come This Far by Faith
    • Book Arts & Letterpress Lab
    • Distinctive Collections
      • BULAA
      • Baylor Book Arts Collection
      • Texas Maps Collection
      • The Browning Letters
      • Women's Collections
    • Experiential Learning Commons (ELC)
    • Graduate Research Center (GRC)
    • Moody & Jones Libraries
      • About Moody & Jones Libraries
      • Map and Location Guide - Moody & Jones Libraries
      • Starbucks at Moody
    • New Student Resources
    • Research Libraries, Institutes and Centers
      • Armstrong Browning Library
      • Arts & Special Collections Research Center
      • Baylor Collections of Political Materials at Poage Library
      • Institute for Oral History
      • Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society
      • The Texas Collection and University Archives
    • Texas Digital Humanities Symposium
    • University Writing Center (UWC)
  • Learn
    • Academy for Teaching and Learning
    • Canvas
    • Course Reserves
      • Canvas Reading Lists
      • Reserve Requests Form
    • Educational Technology Showcase
      • 2024 ETS Full Schedule
    • Events Calendar
    • Exhibits
      • C.S. Lewis and the 75th Anniversary of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"
      • Life and Death on the Border, 1910-1920
      • Parlor Talk at the Arts & Special Collections Research Center
      • Crosshatch Galleries
      • Submit an Exhibit Idea
    • History Fair
    • Learning Design
    • Library Literacies
  • Visit
    • Visitor Information
    • Armstrong Browning Library & Museum
      • About
      • Collections
      • Give to ABL
      • Research & Instruction
      • Visit
    • Arts & Special Collections Research Center
      • About Us
      • Explore Collections
      • Research Help
    • Baylor Collections of Political Materials at W. R. Poage Library
      • About BCPM at Poage Library
      • BCPM Collections
      • Give to the BCPM at Poage Library
      • Research
    • The Baylor Legal Research and Technology Center
    • Institute for Oral History
      • About IOH
      • Contact Us
      • Give to the IOH
      • Grants & Internships
      • History of IOH & FAQs
      • Research
      • Resources
      • Search Our Collection
      • Student Resources
      • Workshops
    • The Keston Center for Religion, Politics, & Society
      • About
      • Collection
      • Exhibits
      • Give to the Keston Center
      • Lectures & Symposia
      • Research
      • Visit
    • Learning Technologies
      • About Learning Technologies
      • Experiential Learning
      • Learning Design
      • Learning Spaces
      • Learning Systems
    • Martin Museum of Art
    • Mayborn Museum
    • Moody and Jones Libraries
    • The School of Education Learning Resources Center
    • The Louise Herrington School of Nursing Learning Resource Center
    • The Texas Collection & University Archives
      • About The Texas Collection
      • Collection Highlights
      • Give to The Texas Collection & University Archives
      • Research With Us
      • Texas Collection Visitor Information
      • Texas, Your Texas: Celebrating 100 Years of The Texas Collection
      • University Archives
  • Give
    • Dean of Libraries Priorities
    • Innovative Programming and Spaces
    • Philanthropy's Impact on the Libraries
    • Research Libraries, Institutes and Centers
    • Support Distinctive Collections
  • Hours
  • OsoFast
  • Spaces
Baylor BU University Libraries, Museums, and the Press Visit Armstrong Browning Library & Museum Collections Art & Artifacts Browning Artifacts
  • Visitor Information
  • Armstrong Browning Library & Museum
    • About
    • Collections
      • Art & Artifacts
        • Browning Artifacts
        • Decorative Arts
        • Paintings & Drawings
        • Sculpture
      • Digital Collections
      • Letters & Manuscripts
      • Printed Materials
      • Stained Glass Windows
    • Give to ABL
    • Research & Instruction
    • Visit
  • Arts & Special Collections Research Center
  • Baylor Collections of Political Materials at W. R. Poage Library
  • The Baylor Legal Research and Technology Center
  • Institute for Oral History
  • The Keston Center for Religion, Politics, & Society
  • Learning Technologies
  • Martin Museum of Art
  • Mayborn Museum
  • Moody and Jones Libraries
  • The School of Education Learning Resources Center
  • The Louise Herrington School of Nursing Learning Resource Center
  • The Texas Collection & University Archives

Browning Artifacts

As well as being able to research the letters and manuscripts of the Brownings and a third of their own personal library, scholars and visitors are always surprised to find such an accumulation of the Brownings' personal artifacts in Waco, Texas.

Navigate through the categories below and gain an insight into the poets as ordinary people. View works of art that they enjoyed, pieces of their family jewelry, furniture used at the various residences, several of their household items, and memorabilia of a more personal nature. Catch a glimpse into the daily lives of the Brownings.

Furniture
Prie-Dieu
French, 17th century
Location: EBB Salon

This prayer stand made of knotty pine and cedar, with inlaid paneling, was used at Casa Guidi and later in Pen Browning's home, Palazzo Rezzonico, in Venice. The prie-dieu was presented to the Library in 1959 by Mrs. Guy Campbell of Washington D.C., a niece of Fannie Coddington Browning.

Salon-Prayer Bench
Inlaid Table
Persian, c. 1600s
Location: Treasure Room

This beautifully designed table was purchased by Robert Browning in 1889 while he was staying with his son at Palazzo Rezzonico in Venice. Styled after Middle Eastern designs, the top of the table is inlaid with mother-of-pearl, with alternating geometrical patterns of inlaid ebony and ivory around the margins. The legs and cross trestles are also inlaid with ivory. The table was obtained in 1959 from Mrs. Guy Campbell of Washington, D.C., a niece of Pen Browning 's wife, Fannie Coddington Browning.

Furniture-Persion Table
Sofa Table
English, c. 1810
Location: EBB Salon

This drop-leaf table, with a rosewood top, is inlaid with birds-eye maple and walnut. Elizabeth and her sisters, Henrietta and Arabella, received similar tables from their grandmother, Elizabeth Moulton. It is fabled that Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous Sonnets from the Portuguese were composed on this table during her residence at 50 Wimpole Street.

The two side chairs pictured with the desk have olive-wood frames and wicker bottoms. They were used at Casa Guidi and given by Robert Browning to the Edmund Tweedy family. The chairs were given to the Library in 1968 by Mrs. Mellick Tweedy of San Angelo, Texas.

Furniture-EBB Desk
Desk Chair
Location: Entrance Foyer

On loan from the Yale University Art Gallery

 

Robert Browning's wicker-bottomed, mahogany chair was a gift to Yale English professor William Lyon Phelps from his students and has been on loan to the Armstrong Browning Library from the Yale University Art Gallery since 1989. Originally owned by Browning's father, Robert Browning, Sr., the chair was paired with the poet's desk in his London study at 29 DeVere Gardens when he returned from Italy in 1861 after his wife's death.

Furniture-RB Chair
Partner's Pedestal Writing Desk
Location: Entrance Foyer

It is believed that Robert Browning wrote some of his greatest poetry at this desk at both his Warwick Crescent and DeVere Gardens homes. It is the central feature in Felix Moscheles' watercolor entitled Robert Browning's Study. The double-sided desk is mahogany with a black inlaid leather top. It was presented to the Library in 1949 by the Raleigh Hotel of Waco, Texas, and Mrs. C. H. Alberding of Chicago, Illinois.

Furniture-RB Desk
Mahogany Folding Chair
Location: Treasure Room

This mahogany and green velvet folding chair with hand-carved arms and legs belonged to the Brownings during their residence at Casa Guidi. Originally upholstered in red, it can be seen in George Mignaty's 1861 painting of their Florentine drawing room, which is displayed in the Austin Moore-Elizabeth Barrett Browning Salon on the third floor of the Library. The chair was a gift to the Library in April 1951 from the Lakeside Browning Club of Dallas, Texas.

Brownings Chair
Escritoire
Italian, c. 1650
Location: Treasure Room

This writing desk, which the Brownings bought in Florence during their honeymoon, has a folding top and a pull-down front with an elaborate, hand-carved floral design ornamenting the desk's exterior. It is fitted with 12 drawers and was a convenient height for the poet to stand and write.

It was purchased from the Browning estate at the 1913 Sotheby Sale by Mrs. Florence Barclay, who left it to her daughter, Mrs. Angela Whitcombe. Mrs. Whitcombe stored the desk with a friend, who mistakenly sold it to Andrew Burden, who then offered it for sale to the Library. The entire purchase price, including shipping charges was $644.14. Funds for the purchase were provided by the Lambda Alpha Chapter of Baylor's honorary English society, Sigma Tau Delta.

Treasure Room-RB Italian Desk
Household Items
Bracket Clock
Crafted by Bates, of Huddersfield, c. 1814
Location: Treasure Room

Made of rosewood on a brass-mounted base, this clock was owned by three generations of Brownings, beginning with Robert Browning's father. When wound it will run and chime, but it no longer keeps accurate time. The clock was a gift to the Armstrong Browning Library in 1949 from the Women's Auxiliary of the Waco Press Club.

Realia-Clock
Candlesticks
Location: Research Hall

The Brownings used this matching pair of silver candlesticks, 8 1/2 in. high, with Roman motif bases of 4 3/4 in. diameter, at their Bagni di Lucca residence. In 1930, Dr. A.J. Armstrong was instrumental in having a plaque affixed to the house. After the celebration, Dr. Bastiani, owner of the home, presented the candlesticks to Dr. Armstrong.

BR-Silver Candlesticks
Cream Pitcher
Location: Research Hall

This porcelain cream pitcher, white with blue edging, 4 3/4 in. high, was used by Elizabeth Barrett Browning at Casa Guidi. It was added in 1948 through the Sir Wilfred Meynell Collection, along with EBB's lace mittens, mantilla, and folding fan (pictured in the Relics & Other Objects section).

BR-Cream Pitcher
Oil Lamp & Taper Stand
Location: Research Hall

The bronze taper stand, 8 in. high with a 6 in. flared base, belonged to Robert Browning. Reportedly, the Brownings also used the silver-plated oil lamp; 4 in. high x 3 3/4 in. diameter.

BR-Taper Stand
Stuffing Spoons
Crafted by Henry Wilkinson & Co., 1836
Location: Research Hall

These silver stuffing spoons, 14 in. long with bowl 2 in. wide, are adorned with beaded edges and engraved with the Browning crest. They were personal possessions of the Brownings and given by Florence Weir Gibson in 1945.

BR-Rice Spoons

Silver Cream Pitcher
Crafted by Samuel Whitford, London, 1811

Silver Teaspoons
Location: Treasure Room

The cream pitcher and the four spoons are all engraved with the initials R.J.B., which stand for Robert and Jane Browning. The poet's grandfather, also named Robert Browning, was first married to Margaret Tittle, who was the poet's grandmother. The teaspoons were part of a set of six given as a wedding present in 1809 to the poet's parents, Robert and Sarah Wiedeman Browning.

BR-Pitcher & Spoons
Jewelry
Signet Finger Ring
Location: Research Hall

A band of 22-carat gold, set with a green bloodstone which measures 5/16 in. x 7/16 in. and bearing an intaglio of the Browning crest and motto, was worn by Robert Browning for about 40 years. It is visible in a number of his portraits and photographs and the impression of the rampant lion crest is evident on a number of envelopes in the Armstrong Browning Library manuscript collection.

BR-Signet Finger Ring
"Friendship" Seal Ring
Location: Research Hall

The chalcedony gemstone, in a gold setting, bears a clasped-hands design and the word L'AMITE appearing backwards so the ring can be used for making impressions on wax. The ring was not designed for finger wear but has attachments for wearing on a chain. It originally belonged to an uncle of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's, then to her, and then to Pen, who gave it to Fannie Coddington as an "engagement ring."

Brooch
Location: Research Hall

The 2 1/2 in. long gold brooch, with intricate floral design and three amber topazes, was given by Robert to Elizabeth on their first wedding anniversary, and later given by him to Fannie Browning. It was presented by Fannie to Mrs. Herbert Stead.

Cross Necklace
Location: Research Hall

The black onyx cross, decorated with diamond chips, silver, and a central pearl, is attached to a 17-inch chain composed of black onyx rods and cylinders. It was given by Robert to Elizabeth on their honeymoon in 1846. It was later given by Browning to his daughter-in-law, Fannie.

Jewelry-Brooch, Ring, Cross
Ring
Location: Treasure Room

 

Gold with 2 rows of diamonds, this ring belonged to Browning's mother, Sarah.

Brooch
Location: Treasure Room

Enclosed in a gold memorial brooch is a lock of hair of the poet's grandfather (also named Robert Browning). It is surrounded with 26 seed pearls and inscribed: "Obt. Decr. 11th 1833-At.84."

Jewelry-Brooch & Ring
Links
Location: Research Hall

 

This pair of gold links belonged to Elizabeth Barrett Browning's cousin George Goodin Barrett (1792 - 1854). The set passed into the possession of George Goodin Moulton-Barrett (1864 - 1943), Elizabeth Barrett Browning's nephew, from whose estate they were acquired.

Brooch
Location: Treasure Room

The gold mounted topaz brooch, fashioned from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's father's seal with his initials (EBMB) in reverse and the Barrett griffin, once belonged to EBB. It was later presented by Pen Browning to Mrs. George Murray Smith.

Jewelry-Ring, Links, Seals
Relics & Other Objects
Victorian Traveling Tea Set
Location: Treasure Room

Jean Sherwood, an American art critic, shared tea unknowingly with Robert Browning on a train in Italy in 1889. This wicker basket and its accompanying tea set were used on that occasion. Later, Mrs. Sherwood came to Waco for Dr. A. J. Armstrong's lyceum in 1936 and presented the tea basket to the Browning Collection. Basket is 9 1/4 in. x 5 3/4 in. x 5 1/2 in.; set includes a teapot and burner, tea tin, two enameled pewter cups and saucers, and a small unadorned silver spoon.

Realia-Basket & Tea Set
Dresden Inkstand, Lead Pencil, & Lock of Hair
Location: Research Hall

Inkstand
The elaborately decorated Dresden china inkstand, with three fluted leaves around base, single ink spout, and Oriental brass top, was used by Elizabeth Barrett Browning in their Florentine home, Casa Guidi, after the marriage. The inkstand is 2 7/8 in. high and the brass top is 2 in. high.

Pencil
The gold-chased mechanical lead pencil was given to Elizabeth Barrett Browning in her youth by her father and is decorated with a Rose of France stone at the end (3/8 in. diam.). The pencil is 4 in. long x 3/16 in. diam.

Locket
A replica of a locket worn by Elizabeth Barrett Browning contains a wisp of Browning's hair.

BR-Inkstand, Pencil, Hair
Elizabeth's Lace Pieces
Location: Treasure Room

Mittens
These black lace fingerless mittens are 8 5/8 in. in length and reflect Elizabeth Barrett Browning's diminutive size. These gloves would have been appropriate for use in chapel.

Mantilla
Black lace floral pattern with two scalloped ties, designed to be pinned to the hair rather than tied. The main piece of the mantilla is a square section with rounded corners that measures 11 in. x 11 in. Attached to opposite corners are two 13 in. lace ties with scalloped borders that vary in width from 4 in. to 3 3/4 in. The mantilla and the accompanying mittens were acquired through the Sir Wilfred Meynell Collection in 1948, along with EBB's fan and a small cream pitcher.

Edging
Black lace with repeated solid pattern floral design on mesh; approximately 7 ft. long and over 6 in. wide. The edging is a companion piece to the Victorian Picture Case in regards to its provenance. Both items came to the Library in 1968, the gift of Ruth Borchardt, Curator of Casa Guidi

BR-Lace, Mantilla, & Mittens
Robert Browning's Oil Lamp
Location: Entrance Foyer

Oil Lamp
The lamp, which has a long handle for carrying, stands 26 1/4 in. high with a 6 1/4 in. diam. base. It has four extensions for wicks and a set of small tools hanging conveniently from chains for trimming, cleaning, pulling, and snuffing. Believed to be of Venetian or Turkish design, the lamp was promised to Margaret Keep, a close friend of Browning's, upon his death. Browning had developed a close friendship with Miss Keep during the last two years of his life. His daughter-in-law Fannie Coddington Browning sent the lamp to Miss Keep in 1889. The Armstrong Browning Library purchased the lamp from Dorothy Grant.

Realia-RB Oil Lamp
Robert Browning's Inkwell
Location: Entrance Foyer

Inkwell
This thickly carved, lobed walnut burl-wood inkstand can be seen on Browning's desk in Felix Moscheles' painting, Robert Browning's Study. It has an indention for pen storage and a glass inkwell; 11 1/2 in. x 8 in. x 5 in. The inkwell is on loan from Mills College, California.

Realia-RB Inkwell
Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Fan
Location: EBB Salon

Folding fan, dark green muslin with gold border, on 15 wooden braces, 15 in. x 8 in. when opened; inscribed in unidentified hand: "E.B.B. 1859. Rome." It is visible lying on a chair in George Mignaty's painting, Salon at Casa Guidi, which was commissioned by Browning shortly after his wife's death in 1861. The fan was acquired through the Sir Wilfred Meynell Collection in 1948, along with EBB's lace mittens and mantilla and a small cream pitcher.

Realia-EBB Fan
Laurel Leaves from Robert Browning's Funeral
Location: Research Hall

Gift of Lady Teresa Berwick, Attingham Park, Shrewsbury, England, who found the leaves among the papers of her mother, Mrs. Zina Hulton. She had received them from Mrs. Katharine deKay Bronson, a close friend of Browning from 1880 to 1889. The leaves, which Mrs. Bronson had saved from the wreath on RB's casket, range in length from 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 in. and are preserved in a glassed wooden frame which measures 5 in. x 11 1/2 in.

Realia-Laurel Leaves
Letter Box
Location: Research Hall

A small wooden letter box, covered with an embroidered fabric and lined inside with green silk, 9 1/4 in. x 6 in. x 2 in. Robert Browning's initials are embroidered a total of 24 times on the top and sides; it is believed to have been used as a letter box at Casa Guidi.

Realia-Letter Box
Letter Tray
Location: EBB Salon

This mahogany letter tray on Chippendale bracket feet, with flared sides, belonged to Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Overall, the piece, decorated with carved pierced hand holds, stands 9 1/2 in. x 7 1/2 in. x 4 1/2 in. The upper tray is 7 1/2 in. x 5 1/2 in. x 2 in. In the lower portion, an integral drawer, with brass pull, measures 7 1/2 in. x 5 in. x 1 in.

Realia-Letter Tray
Victorian Picture Case
Location: Research Hall

Pine frame, covered with leather, velvet, and dark brown paper; 5 3/8 in. x 7 1/8 in. x 3/4 in.; holds a small print of the Fox-Bridell portrait of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1858). It was in Elizabeth's possession at Casa Guidi and was a gift from her to Pen. He presented it to Ersilia Nardini, a member of his household staff. The case was given to the Library in 1968 by Ruth Borchardt, Curator of Casa Guidi.

Realia-Picture Case
A Single Rose Sent in Robert's Love Letter to Elizabeth
Location: Treasure Room

A single rose, grown in Browning's mother's garden at Hatcham, South London, was sent in a love letter from Robert Browning to Elizabeth Barrett:

...this hot day draws out our very first yellow rose. 14 June 1845.

Realia-Single Rose
Robert Browning's Snuff Box
Location: Research Hall

A Georgian silver, crescent-shaped, engine-turned snuff box made by John Lawrence & Co. of Birmingham in 1797, with "R.B." engraved on the lid, measures 2 1/2 in. x 1 3/4 in. x 3/4 in. It was reputedly given by Browning's daughter-in-law, Fannie Coddington Browning, to John Ruskin and was still in his possession at his death in 1900.

Realia-Snuff Box
Doorknocker
Location: Treasure Room

A fifteenth-century doorknocker, in the form of a large wrought-iron ring and spike, was used at Palazzo Dario, Venice, where Pen Browning resided briefly before moving to Palazzo Rezzonico. The ring is 3 7/8 in. x 3 3/4 in., with a spike 4 1/2 in. long.

Realia-Door Knocker
Edelweiss Blossoms
Location: Treasure Room

Four blossoms, under glass, in a decorated wooden box which measures 4 in. x 2 3/4 in. x 1 3/8 in. A note by A.J. Armstrong inside the lid, undated and unsigned, reads--

Edelweiss picked by Robert Browning at St. Moritz Switzerland in 1884, and sent by him to Mrs. Katharine deKay Bronson. Given to Dr. A. J. Armstrong in 1927 by her daughter Princess Editha Rucellai in Florence.

Realia-Edelweiss Blossoms
Works of Art
Hope End, Watercolor
Artist: Unknown
Dimensions: 11 1/2" x 15 1/2"
Location: Director's Office

 

Hope End, signifying "a closed valley," was Elizabeth Barrett's childhood home near Ledbury, Herefordshire, England. Her bedroom and sitting room were at the very top of the house. This is a view from the lower pond.

Painting-Hope End
Robert Wiedeman Barrett (Pen) Browning, Pen and Chalk
Artist: Samuel Laurence, c. 1853
Dimensions: 13" x 10"
Location: EBB Salon

 

The artist also created a companion portrait of Elizabeth Barrett Browning during the same time period.

Pen-S. Lawrence chalk sketch
Robert Wiedeman Barrett (Pen) Browning, Oil
Artist: Euphrasia Fanny Haworth, c. 1857
Dimensions: 11" x 8"
Location: EBB Salon

 

This painting is described by Elizabeth Barrett Browning in a letter to her sister Arabella on January 10, [1857]. Although Pen was eight years old, his mother still enjoyed his curls and dressed him in velvet and lace.

Gift of Irving Bush, Jr.

PB by Haworth
Pen Browning, White Carrera Marble
Artist: Alexander Munro, 1859
Location: Entrance Foyer

 

Commissioned by Robert Browning for his wife Elizabeth, the bust of their son, Robert Wiedeman Barrett Browning, was modeled in 1858 for a fee of 25 guineas which was a considerable sum of money at the time. Although Pen was almost ten years old, he was still dressed in a fashion more suitable for a Victorian boy of four or five. Elizabeth wanted him raised in an androgynous manner, hence the bust's long curls and feminine mode of dress. Robert did not agree with this idea. Following Elizabeth's death in 1861, Browning had Pen's hair cut and dressed him in a young man's clothing.

The bust was a gift in 1922 from the Highland Park Browning Society, Dallas, Texas.

Sculpture-Pen Browning Bust
John Kenyon, White Carrera Marble
Artist: Thomas Crawford, 1841
Location: Entrance Foyer

 

This life-sized bust was done in 1841, when John Kenyon was 57 years old; it eventually belonged to the Brownings. A distant cousin of Elizabeth Barrett and a close friend of Robert Browning, Kenyon was responsible for the two poets' meeting. Elizabeth Barrett had mentioned Browning very favorably in her poem "Lady Geraldine's Courtship." Kenyon gave a copy to Robert and encouraged him to thank her--this began a correspondence that led to their courtship and marriage. Kenyon was very close to the couple, helping them financially during his lifetime and leaving them a generous sum of money in his will.

The bust was given to the Browning Collection in 1944 by the Neiman-Marcus Company of Dallas, Texas.

Sculpture-John Kenyon Bust
Sarianna Browning, Oil
Artist: Possibly Euphrasia Fanny Haworth
Dimensions:
Location: Research Hall

 

Sarianna Browning, the poet's sister and younger sibling (1814 - 1903), never married but devoted her entire life to her father, her brother, and her nephew.

Research Hall-Sarianna Browning
Possibly Saint Sebastian, Oil
Artist: Italian School, c. 1500
Dimensions: 6' x 2' 3"
Location: Research Hall

 

This painting hung in the Brownings' home in Florence. From the Italian school of the Correggio Period, Saint Sebastian is the patron saint of good health.

RB-Sebastian

The Madonna, Oil
Artist: Italian School, c. 1600s
Dimensions: 24" x 20"
Location: Treasure Room

Although neither the artist nor the exact date of this painting are known, the style is identified as being that of the Italian School. The Madonna originally belonged to the Brownings and hung in the salon in Casa Guidi.

The painting was a gift from the Lambda Alpha Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta in 1953 in honor of their sponsor, Dr. A. J. Armstrong.

Treasure Room-Madonna

Two Saints, Oil on wood
Artist: Sienese School, c. 14th or 15th century
Dimensions: each 5 1/4" x 5 7/8"
Location: EBB Salon

This is technically two small paintings on one wood panel. It belonged to the Brownings and hung in their home, Casa Guidi. A barely legible note by Elizabeth Barrett Browning on the reverse confirms that the artist was from the Sienese School.

BR-Two Saints

Two Children, Our Saviour and Saint John, with a Lamb, Watercolor
Artist: Possibly Bartolemé Esteban Murillo
Dimensions: 4 1/2" diameter
Location: EBB Salon

This miniature belonged to the Brownings and is inscribed "Murillo" on the reverse by Sarianna Browning, sister of the poet.

BR-Two Children by Murillo
Aeschylus, Bronze Bas-relief
Artist: Unknown
Dimensions: 16" diameter
Location: Treasure Room

 

The plaque is a bas-relief in profile of the head of Aeschylus, the Greek playwright. It originally hung in the Brownings' drawing room at Casa Guidi in Florence.

The piece was acquired by the Armstrong Browning Library from Mr. and Mrs. William Sloan in 1958.

Sculpture-Aeschylus bas-relief
The Serenade, Oil
Artist: Daniel Maclise, 1842
Dimensions: 52 3/4" x 37 1/4"
Location: Treasure Room

 

The painting depicts two male figures serenading a pair of young ladies on a canopied balcony, apparently in Venice. On Maclise's behalf, John Forster described the painting to Browning and asked him to write a few lines. This served as the inspiration for the first few lines of Robert Browning's poem, "In a Gondola."

I send my heart up to thee, all my heart
In this my singing.
For the stars help me, and the sea bears part;
The very night is clinging
Closer to Venice' streets to leave one space
Above me, whence thy face
May light my joyous heart to thee its dwelling place.

Upon seeing the painting, Browning was stimulated to add 226 more lines to the original few. The later lines tell a tale and present a situation entirely fabricated by Browning.

The painting was acquired for the Library in 1950 from H. I. Jarman.

Painting-The Serenade (2)

University Libraries, Museums, and the Press

Ask a Question

Security Concerns?
Call 254.710.2211

One Bear Place #97148
Waco, TX 76798-7148

(254) 710-6702
Hours
Help Desk +
OneSearch
Make a Gift
Lost & Found
Baylor BU University Libraries, Museums, and the Press Visit Armstrong Browning Library & Museum Collections Art & Artifacts Browning Artifacts
  • About
    Back
    • Contact Us
    • Collection Management
    • Employment & Internships
    • Fellowships & Grants
    • Marketing, Communications & Media
    • Meet the Dean
    • Mission & Vision
    • People
      Back
      • Find Your Librarian
      • Library Organizational Charts
      • Specialists Directory
        Back
        • Archivists
        • Arts & Special Collections Research Center
        • Cataloging and Metadata
        • Classroom Technology
        • Collection Development
        • Copyright
        • Course Reserves
        • Creative Making and Media Programs
        • Data & Digital Scholarship
        • Digital Humanities
        • Digitization
        • Electronic Resources
        • Exhibits
        • Facilities
        • Fundraising and Development
        • Grants and Grantwriting
        • Help Desk Plus
        • Information (Library Public Services)
        • Learning Design
        • Legal Research
        • Library Instruction
        • Library Systems
        • Marketing and Communications
        • Metaliteracies
        • OSOFast Campus Delivery
        • OSOFast Interlibrary Loan
        • Research and Engagement
        • Research Librarians
        • Special Collections
        • Subject Librarians
    • Policies
    • Spaces
      Back
      • Moody PODS
      • Study Zones in Moody and Jones
  • Research
    Back
    • A-Z Databases
    • Baylor Archival Repositories Database (BARD)
    • BEARdata
    • BEARdocs
    • Borrow, Request, Renew
    • BUTANE (BU Transcript Analytics & Exploration)
    • Copyright Guidance
    • Data & Digital Scholarship
    • Digital Collections
    • Interlibrary Loan / OSOFast
      Back
      • Distance Education & Faculty Abroad Library Services
      • OsoFast Delivery
    • Library Guides (LibGuides)
    • Managing Citations
    • Off-Campus Access
    • OneSearch
    • Research Support
      Back
      • Data and Digital Scholarship
      • Government Documents
      • Liaison Librarians: Find Your Librarian
      • Libraries Literacies
      • Public Services
    • Research Technology
  • Discover
    Back
    • Baylor Libraries Blog - Promoting Discovery
    • Baylor Press
    • Black Gospel Archive
      Back
      • Black Gospel Music Preservation Program
      • Black Gospel Archive & Listening Center
      • Black Gospel Music Royce-Darden Digital Collection
      • Black Gospel Preachers Project
    • Black Gospel Archive Symposium
      Back
      • 2025 Symposium: We've Come This Far by Faith
    • Book Arts & Letterpress Lab
    • Distinctive Collections
      Back
      • BULAA
      • Baylor Book Arts Collection
      • Texas Maps Collection
      • The Browning Letters
      • Women's Collections
    • Experiential Learning Commons (ELC)
    • Graduate Research Center (GRC)
    • Moody & Jones Libraries
      Back
      • About Moody & Jones Libraries
      • Map and Location Guide - Moody & Jones Libraries
      • Starbucks at Moody
    • New Student Resources
    • Research Libraries, Institutes and Centers
      Back
      • Armstrong Browning Library
      • Arts & Special Collections Research Center
      • Baylor Collections of Political Materials at Poage Library
      • Institute for Oral History
      • Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society
      • The Texas Collection and University Archives
    • Texas Digital Humanities Symposium
    • University Writing Center (UWC)
  • Learn
    Back
    • Academy for Teaching and Learning
    • Canvas
    • Course Reserves
      Back
      • Canvas Reading Lists
      • Reserve Requests Form
    • Educational Technology Showcase
      Back
      • 2024 ETS Full Schedule
    • Events Calendar
    • Exhibits
      Back
      • C.S. Lewis and the 75th Anniversary of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"
      • Life and Death on the Border, 1910-1920
      • Parlor Talk at the Arts & Special Collections Research Center
      • Crosshatch Galleries
      • Submit an Exhibit Idea
    • History Fair
    • Learning Design
    • Library Literacies
  • Visit
    Back
    • Visitor Information
    • Armstrong Browning Library & Museum
      Back
      • About
        Back
        • Contact Us
        • Mission
        • Quick Facts
        • History
        • Architecture
        • The Brownings
          Back
          • Robert Browning (1812-1889)
          • Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
          • Robert Wiedeman Barrett (Pen) Browning (1849-1912)
          • Casa Guidi
          • Select Poems
        • The Armstrongs
          Back
          • Andrew Joseph Armstrong (1873-1954)
          • Mary Maxwell Armstrong (1882-1971)
      • Collections
        Back
        • Art & Artifacts
          Back
          • Browning Artifacts
          • Decorative Arts
          • Paintings & Drawings
          • Sculpture
        • Digital Collections
        • Letters & Manuscripts
        • Printed Materials
          Back
          • Browning Library Collection
          • ABL Rare Collection
          • ABL Non-Rare Collection
          • 19th Century Collection
          • Author Collections
          • ABL Children's Literature Collection
          • Browning Music Collection
          • Periodicals Collection
        • Stained Glass Windows
          Back
          • The Language of Stained Glass
          • Alcoves
          • Armstrong Browning Library Offices
          • Belew Scholars' Room
          • Cox Reception Hall
          • Elizabeth Barrett Browning Salon
          • Hankamer Treasure Room
          • Leddy-Jones Research Hall
          • Martin Entrance Foyer
      • Give to ABL
      • Research & Instruction
        Back
        • Search the Collections
        • Use the Collections
        • The Brownings: A Research Guide
        • Instruction Sessions
        • Browning Chair
        • Fellowships & Internships
          Back
          • Baylor Libraries Summer Internship Programs
          • Teaching Fellows Program
          • Three-Month Research Fellowship
          • Visiting Scholars Program
        • Conferences & Symposia
          Back
          • Cultures of Correspondence Symposium
          • Ecology & Religion in 19th Century Studies
          • Rhyme & Reform
        • 19CRS
      • Visit
        Back
        • Building Map & Online Tour
        • Directions & Parking
        • Exhibitions
          Back
          • Continuing Exhibits
          • Past Exhibitions
        • Gift Gallery
        • Tours
        • Use Our Facility
          Back
          • Portrait Policies
          • Room Descriptions
          • Room Reservations
          • Wedding Policies
    • Arts & Special Collections Research Center
      Back
      • About Us
        Back
        • Contact & Location
        • Teaching Fellowships
      • Explore Collections
        Back
        • Baylor Book Arts Collection
        • Music Special Collections
      • Research Help
    • Baylor Collections of Political Materials at W. R. Poage Library
      Back
      • About BCPM at Poage Library
      • BCPM Collections
        Back
        • BCPM Digital Collections
        • Editorial Cartoon Collections
        • Federal Collections
        • JFK Collections
        • Local Collections
        • State Collections
      • Give to the BCPM at Poage Library
      • Research
    • The Baylor Legal Research and Technology Center
    • Institute for Oral History
      Back
      • About IOH
      • Contact Us
      • Give to the IOH
      • Grants & Internships
      • History of IOH & FAQs
      • Research
        Back
        • BUIOH Scholarship
        • Institute for Oral History Partnership with the UAE National Library and Archives
        • Living Stories
        • Oral History at a Distance
          Back
          • PDF Resources
        • Past Research Projects
        • Survivors of Genocide
        • Waco Citizens Remember the Great War
        • Waco History App
      • Resources
      • Search Our Collection
      • Student Resources
      • Workshops
        Back
        • Getting Started With Oral History Workshop
        • Oral History at a Distance Workshop
        • Sharpen Your Skills Workshops
        • Turning Oral Histories Into Radio Dramas
    • The Keston Center for Religion, Politics, & Society
      Back
      • About
      • Collection
      • Exhibits
        Back
        • Ukraine: Persecuted, Starved, and Killed...But Never Silenced
        • Voice of the Voiceless: Commemorating Keston's 50th Anniversary
        • Revisiting Red October: Power, Propaganda & Persecution
        • Truth Prevails: 100 Years of Czechoslovak History
      • Give to the Keston Center
      • Lectures & Symposia
        Back
        • 2025 Keston Spring Lecture featuring Dr. Wallace Daniel
        • 2024 Keston Center Fall Lecture: Baylor in Deeds—Interfaith and Intra-Faith Harmony: Strengthening Leadership for Women Globally through Sports
        • 2024 Keston Spring Panel - Seeking Peace in Times of War: Hope or Hopeless?
        • 2023 Keston Fall Lecture featuring Michaela Kufová
        • 2023 Irina Ratushinskaya: Triumph of the Spirit
        • 2022 Afghanistan: The Next Chapter
        • 2022 Stalingrad on Screen: From Stalinist Propaganda to Putin-era Blockbuster
        • 2020 Ukraine Update: A Conversation with the Baylor Community
        • 2020 Prayers for Ukraine
        • 2021 Totalitarianism, Faith, and Dissent: Czech Catholic Vaclav Benda and Beyond
        • 2021 Facing Forward: Afghanistan After America
        • 2021 Spring Keston Panel: Where in the World?
        • 2020 Fall Panel: Pictures, Portraits & Snapshots: Glimpses into Baylor's Special Libraries
        • Voice of the Voiceless: Keston's 50th Anniversary Commemoration
        • 2019 Keston Center Diplomatic Forum
        • Celebrating 100 Years of Czech Independence
        • 2018 Spring Keston Lecture: Alyona Kojevnikov
        • 2017 Keston Public Lecture: Dominic Erdozain
        • 2017 Keston Public Lecture: Roman Lunkin
        • 2016 Keston Public Lecture: Alice Lunakova
        • 2016 Keston Public Lecture: Dr. Julie DeGraffenried
        • 2015 Keston Public Lecture: Defenders of the Faith
        • 2014 Keston Public Lecture: Mariana-Alina Urs
        • 2014 Keston Public Lecture: Alexander Orgorodnikov
        • 2013 Keston Symposium
      • Research
        Back
        • Visiting Researchers and Scholars
        • Citation Guide
        • Usage Guidelines
        • Internships and Fellowships
        • Related Links
        • Russia-Ukraine Resources
      • Visit
    • Learning Technologies
      Back
      • About Learning Technologies
      • Experiential Learning
        Back
        • Creative Media
        • Creative Media and Making for Students
        • ELC Equipment and Spaces
        • Experiential Learning Events
        • Experiential Learning Grants
        • Experiential Learning Team
        • Makerspace
      • Learning Design
        Back
        • Interactive Learning Experience Design
        • Resources for Online Courses
        • Student Focused Micro Modules
      • Learning Spaces
        Back
        • Classroom Technology Quick Search
          Back
          • Type 1 Classroom
          • Type 2 Classroom
        • PawPrints
      • Learning Systems
    • Martin Museum of Art
    • Mayborn Museum
    • Moody and Jones Libraries
    • The School of Education Learning Resources Center
    • The Louise Herrington School of Nursing Learning Resource Center
    • The Texas Collection & University Archives
      Back
      • About The Texas Collection
      • Collection Highlights
      • Give to The Texas Collection & University Archives
      • Research With Us
      • Texas Collection Visitor Information
      • Texas, Your Texas: Celebrating 100 Years of The Texas Collection
        Back
        • "Texas, Our Texas" Original Manuscript and Recordings
        • Commemorative Posters Series
      • University Archives
  • Give
    Back
    • Dean of Libraries Priorities
    • Innovative Programming and Spaces
    • Philanthropy's Impact on the Libraries
    • Research Libraries, Institutes and Centers
    • Support Distinctive Collections
  • Hours
  • OsoFast
  • Spaces
  • General Information
  • Academics & Research
  • Administration
  • Admissions
  • Gateways for ...
  • About Baylor
  • Athletics
  • Ask Baylor
  • Bookstore
  • Calendar
  • Campus Map
  • Directory
  • Give to Baylor
  • News
  • Search
  • Social Media
  • Strategic Plan
  • College of Arts & Sciences
  • Diana R. Garland School of Social Work
  • George W. Truett Theological Seminary
  • Graduate School
  • Hankamer School of Business
  • Honors College
  • Law School
  • Louise Herrington School of Nursing
  • Research at Baylor University
  • Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences
  • School of Education
  • School of Engineering & Computer Science
  • School of Music
  • University Libraries, Museums, and the Press
  • More Academics
  • Athletics
  • Compliance, Risk and Safety
  • Human Resources
  • Marketing and Communications
  • Office of General Counsel
  • Office of the President
  • Office of the Provost
  • Operations, Finance & Administration
  • Senior Administration
  • Student Life
  • University Advancement
  • Undergraduate Admissions
  • goBAYLOR
  • Graduate Admissions
  • Baylor Law School Admissions
  • Social Work Graduate Programs
  • George W. Truett Theological Seminary Admissions
  • Online Graduate Professional Education
  • Virtual Tour
  • Visit Campus
  • Alumni & Friends
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Online Graduate Professional Education
  • Parents
  • Prospective Faculty & Staff
  • Prospective Students
  • Students
  • Anonymous Reporting
  • Annual Fire Safety and Security Notice
  • Cost of Attendance
  • Digital Privacy
  • Legal Disclosures
  • Mental Health Resources
  • Notice of Non-Discrimination
  • Report It
  • Title IX
  • Web Accessibility
 
Baylor University
Copyright © Baylor® University. All rights reserved.
Baylor University • Waco, Texas 76798 • 1-800-229-5678