Best known for his meticulously detailed fairy paintings, Richard Dadd (1817–1886) created an intensely imaginative body of work unlike that of any of his contemporaries. Following the onset of severe mental illness during his travels through the Eastern Mediterranean, Dadd spent much of his life at Bethlem Royal Hospital and later Broadmoor Hospital, where he continued to produce some of the most remarkable paintings and drawings of the nineteenth century.
Published to accompany Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam, presented at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, this richly illustrated exhibition catalog brings together more than 60 works exploring the extraordinary life and artistic legacy of one of Victorian Britain’s most original and enigmatic painters.
Moving beyond the artist’s famous fairy subjects, the catalog examines the full breadth of Dadd’s career, including his travel sketches inspired by the Eastern Mediterranean, psychologically penetrating portraits, and highly original narrative compositions. Essays by Nicholas Tromans and other leading scholars place Dadd’s work within the wider context of Victorian art, exploring his technical brilliance, imagination, and enduring influence on later generations of artists.
Beautifully illustrated throughout, this publication offers fresh perspectives on Richard Dadd’s life, creativity, and legacy while challenging the myths that have long surrounded him. An essential reference for collectors, scholars, and admirers of Richard Dadd, Victorian art, British painting, fairy painting, and nineteenth-century art.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.