The first official portrait of Robert Pattinson as the new protagonist of the classic novel Belle and Sebastian was recently featured on the cover of Wonderland magazine. The magazine cover depicts Pattinson posing in a black and white image against a background of flowers, with his eyes closed and a look of peaceful contemplation on his face.
The portrait was taken by the celebrated photographer Arthur Lange and marks the conclusion of a month-long photoshoot, as part of the international tour to promote the novel. The tour started in London in January and will continue in Paris, with a final stop in New York City. The photographs were on display at the Brooklyn Museum during the Brooklyn Book Festival on Feb 19th, and will be published in a collector’s edition of the novel, featuring a foreword by the author Jane Austen.
Tour Of London, UK
The shoot for the cover of Wonderland magazine took place over four days in London, beginning with a visit to the iconic Natural History Museum, where the famous literary lions, H.G. Wells and Rudyard Kipling, both featured characters from the novel. On the second day of the visit, the students of Room 101 of the London School of Economics were also invited to have their photograph taken with Robert Pattinson, as part of the school’s 150th anniversary.
The following day, the tour continued with a visit to the British Library, where Robert Pattinson again sat for Lange, before moving on to another iconic London image, the Houses of Parliament. Finally, on day four of the London trip, the students were able to meet with Jane Austen, who graciously took time out of her schedule to meet with the young visitors.
Tour Of Paris, France
The cover shoot for the French version of Wonderland magazine took place over four days in Paris. Arthur Lange shot the photographs in a real-life recreation of the Bois de Boulogne, on the left bank of the Seine River, with Paris’ famous cathedrals and museums as a spectacular backdrop. The first day began with a visit to Musee d’Orsay, where the exhibition ‘Orsay Season: The Impressionists from Home to Orsay’ took the students on a trip back in time to see the greatest French Impressionists’ works. Next up was the Jeu de Paume – France’s biggest museum of contemporary art, which has a special exhibition dedicated to the works of Jane Austen, the beloved author of “Pride and Prejudice”, “Sense and Sensibility”, and “Emma”. After the visit, the students were able to have a short private interview with the actor.
Tour Of New York City, USA
The final stop of the tour was in New York City, where the students were able to take a walk through Central Park, meet with Bill Clinton, get their photograph taken with the celebrity patron of literary arts, and even attend a private reception at the Roosevelt Hotel, hosted by Harper Collins and the Authors Guild of America.
The visit to New York City was made even more special for the students as they were able to spend the weekend with a famous English teacher and literary genius, Geoffrey Chaucer. During their stay, the students attended classes with Chaucer and had private tutorials with the teacher, where he shared with them the history of English literature and poetry.
On Monday, February 24th, the tour concluded with a private dinner for the students at the Chaucer estate in Connecticut. Students who attended the dinner were offered the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with the Chaucer and get their photo taken with the literary icon, after which, the students were driven back to the airport for their flight home.
The entire trip from beginning to end lasted five days, and was made more special for the students as they got to meet and interview some of the most famous people in the world of books and literature. The students of Room 101 had the opportunity to learn so much about English literature and the greats who wrote it. Most importantly, they got to meet with a real-life version of their favorite literary characters and hopefully make lifelong friends. We can only hope that one day, we will be able to share this experience with our children.