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This painting, by an unknown artist is not a portrait done from life. It is copied from a photograph taken by John Watkins in 1863. Because of his popularity, such photographs of Dickens were widely circulated. Many people had these kinds of carte-de-visite photographs of famous people in their homes. Sometimes they were copied in oil paint, to hang on the walls of dining and drawing rooms. We have two painted copies of Watkins’ photograph, surely evidence of how many similar pictures must have existed.
Title
Charles Dickens (1812–1870)
Date
19th C
Medium
oil on card
Measurements
H 31.3 x W 24.2 cm
Accession number
BATVG : P : 1980.48
Acquisition method
gift from Miss Winifred Blount, 1973
Work type
Painting