Charles de Sousy Ricketts (1866-1931), Painter, designer and art collector

Later Victorian Portraits Catalogue

Sitter in 8 portraits
Born in Geneva, Switzerland, to an English father and French mother, Ricketts was considered too delicate for school. Instead, from an early age, he unstintingly pursued a compulsion to live for art. An early manifestation of his refined and eclectic aesthetic was the art periodical, The Dial (1889-97), produced with Shannon. Consisting of poetry, prose and illustrations in a blend of English Pre-Raphaelitism and French Symbolism, it is a key document of the Aesthetic Movement. On reading the first edition, Oscar Wilde remarked 'Do not bring out a second number, all perfect things should be unique'.