Richard Dadd

Portrait of a Young Man

1853

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

Not on display
Artist
Richard Dadd 1817–1886
Medium
Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions
Support: 606 x 500 mm
frame: 800 x 695 x 75 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Bequeathed by Ian L. Phillips 1984, accessioned 1992
Reference
T06665

Display caption

This portrait was painted at Bethlem Royal Hospital in London, although the sitter is unknown. He could be one of the attendants in charge of the inmates at the hospital. The sunflower is possibly an allusion to the god Osiris (with whom Dadd was obsessed) who was traditionally identified with the sun. The bright red fez (a type of oriental cap) may be the one Dadd himself wore on his travels in the Middle East.

Gallery label, May 2007

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.

Technique and condition

The painting is in drying oil on a light coloured ground. Glue lining has damaged the original surface texture and removed evidence of the original attachment and stretcher. In many areas, e.g. the tree roots (bottom left), detailed pencil drawing is visible through quite thin layers of paint which follow it closely. There appear to be no major alterations or changes in composition during painting.

In general the paint was applied painstakingly with a fine brush having minimum covering power except in the darks which are applied a little more thickly and in the lights which have significant impasto.

Compressed cracks in the lighter areas and cissing in the darks suggest an oil medium with added resin. No analysis has been carried out.

The varnish is a slightly discoloured glossy soft resin which was thinned and revarnished with a modern synthetic varnish in 1973.

Explore

You might like

Richard Dadd, ‘The Flight out of Egypt’ 1849–50

Richard Dadd The Flight out of Egypt

1849–50
On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art N05767
Richard Dadd, ‘Wandering Musicians’ c.1878

Richard Dadd Wandering Musicians

c.1878
T12133
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, ‘The Girlhood of Mary Virgin’ 1848–9

Dante Gabriel Rossetti The Girlhood of Mary Virgin

1848–9
N04872
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, ‘Ecce Ancilla Domini! (The Annunciation)’ 1849–50

Dante Gabriel Rossetti Ecce Ancilla Domini! (The Annunciation)

1849–50
N01210
Richard Dadd, ‘The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke’ 1855–64

Richard Dadd The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke

1855–64
On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art T00598
Sir Francis Grant, ‘Portrait of a Lady (? Mrs Edmund Peel)’ c.1856

Sir Francis Grant Portrait of a Lady (? Mrs Edmund Peel)

c.1856
T06456
John Frederick Herring, ‘Birmingham with Patrick Conolly Up, and his Owner, John Beardsworth’ 1830

John Frederick Herring Birmingham with Patrick Conolly Up, and his Owner, John Beardsworth

1830
On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art T02361
Dante Gabriel Rossetti, ‘The Beloved (‘The Bride’)’ 1865–6

Dante Gabriel Rossetti The Beloved (‘The Bride’)

1865–6
N03053
Alfred Stevens, ‘Portrait of a Man’ c.1839–40

Alfred Stevens Portrait of a Man

c.1839–40
N02213
William Holman Hunt, ‘The Awakening Conscience’ 1853

William Holman Hunt The Awakening Conscience

1853
T02075
Henry William Pickersgill, ‘Robert Vernon’ 1846, exhibited 1847

Henry William Pickersgill Robert Vernon

1846, exhibited 1847
N00416
Walter Howell Deverell, ‘A Pet’ exhibited 1853

Walter Howell Deverell A Pet

exhibited 1853
N02854
Arthur Hughes, ‘April Love’ 1855–6

Arthur Hughes April Love

1855–6
N02476
Alfred Stevens, ‘An Artist in his Studio’ c.1840–2

Alfred Stevens An Artist in his Studio

c.1840–2
On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art N02212
Claude Monet, ‘Woman Seated on a Bench’ c.1874

Claude Monet Woman Seated on a Bench

c.1874
N04184