Later Victorian Portraits Catalogue

Self-portraits
Undated self-portraits
By other artists
Photographs

Self-portraitsback to top

1892
Pencil caricature drawing, whole-length, standing, wearing top hat; untraced. Repr. Holmes 1936, facing p.170 (with caption ‘Ricketts taken for a walk by Savage and Shannon’).

1892–3
Wood-engr., 161 x 126mm, At the Wedding Feast, designed in conjunction with Charles Ricketts, half-length to front, as figure in group (illustration for edition of Longus’ The Marriage of Daphnis and Chloe, trans. George Thornley, printed at the Vale Press and publ. by Elkin Mathews and John Lane, 1893, p.97; published version exh. NPG 2009); two proof copies Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, P.154-1943.

1895
Lithograph, In the House of Delia, signed and dated, head-and-shoulders to left, with long hair, as accessory character in figure composition; publ. The Dial, 1895, no.4 (ed. of 25); ref. Delaney 1978, no.35, p.46 (ill.).
Various versions, including:
(a) 207 x 204mm, printed in green ink; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, P.2101-R.
(b) 213mm x 220mm; exh. An Aesthetic Partnership, Orleans House, Twickenham, 1979, no 81; repr. Darracott 1980, p.61; Roy Davids Coll., Bonhams, 3 Oct. 2005 (216) and Roy Davids Coll., Bonhams, London, 29 Mar. 2011 (316).
(c) 216 x221mm; BM, London, 1899,0321.11, plus an impression from the cancelled stone BM, London, 1938,0804.14. Repr. McKeown 2010, p.304.

1898
Oil sketch on canvas, 571 x 577mm, for In the House of Delia, as accessory figure; Bristol CMAG, no. K2388. Exh. The Last Moments of Raphael, Bristol AG, 1969 (19); and Victorian and Edwardian Paintings, Bristol AG and Glynn Vivian AG, Swansea, 1975. See below for finished work.

Oil on canvas; see NPG 3107.
This is the primary painted image of Shannon.

before 1901
Oil on canvas, 889 x 508mm, wearing striped shirt; offered to NPG by Michael Berkeley, 2009. Exh. RSPP 1901 (77, as ‘Portrait of the Artist’); possibly Works by Irish Painters, Guildhall, London, 1904 (11, where given as 889 x 737mm and owner as the artist); and English Portraits, Arts Council, 1950 (8, when owned by Kerrison Preston). Discussing the two portraits by Shannon at the RSPP in 1901, Roger Fry noted ‘The striped shirt in the picture of himself is the more original of the two as a pictorial motive, and is painted with extreme delicacy and compunction’ (Athenaeum, 30 Nov. 1901, p.741).
A second oil on canvas of around the same date showing Shannon half-length, seated, is untraced and reported to have been in the collections of Cecil French and David Gould.

1900–1905
Pastel study, 444 x 406mm, for In the House of Delia, as accessory figure (see next item); coll. Dennis L. Lanigan, Canada; Sotheby’s, SK, 1 Dec. 2004 (266).

Oil on canvas, 762 x 762mm, In the House of Delia, half-length, profile to left, as accessory figure (a more recognizable portrait than 1895 lithograph above); Castle MAG, Nottingham, 1945-1; formerly with Sir Edmund Davis (sale, Christie’s, 15 May 1942). Exh. Irish Int. Exh., Dublin, 1907 (119, owned Lockett Agnew); Franco-British Exh., White City, London, 1908 (254, as ‘Delia’); Loan Exh., Belfast, 1911 (6, owned Agnews); An Aesthetic Partnership, Orleans House, Twickenham, 1979 (113); NEAC exh., Christie’s, 1986 (93); At the Sign of the Dial: Charles Haslewood Shannon and his Circle, Usher AG, Lincoln, 1987; and The Wilde Years, Barbican AG, London, 2000; repr. Franco-British Exh., 1908, exh. cat., unpaginated; Darracott 1980, p.60; and McKeown 2010, p.303.

1905
Lithograph, 300 x 306mm, signed in pencil, half-length, profile to right, facing front, standing before easel with paintbrush in right hand; publ. Colnaghi (ed. of 50); ref. Derry 1920, no.58; and Delaney 1978, no.58; repr. Roy Davids Coll., Bonhams, 3 Oct. 2005 (215); two impressions in BM, London, 1909,0823.1 and 1938, 0804.33 (where cancelled with thick vertical and diagonal lines).

1907
Oil on canvas, The Marble Torso, half-length, half-profile to left, looking at viewer, with lithograph sheets from portfolio and in background sculpture of male torso together with antique Greek cup; untraced. Exh. RSPP 1907 (108, as ‘The Marble Torso: Portrait of the Artist’); and Int. Exh., Rome, 1911, British Section (316, as ‘Portrait of the Artist’); repr. Studio, Mar. 1909, p.3; and Spielmann 1911, p.272.

1917
Oil on canvas, 686 x 680mm, signed and dated, half-length, half-profile to right, looking at viewer with brush in mouth, holding long brush or stick in right hand; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, 2294. Exh. RA 1918 (98); Liverpool, 1922 (probably ‘The Artist at Work’); Barbizon House, 1928 (4); and British Portraits, RA, 1956 (189); repr. RA Illustrated 1918, p.123 (colour); [Furst] 1920, pl.1; [George] 1924, frontispiece; and Goodison 1977, pp.218–19.

1918
Lithograph; see NPG 3081.

1928
Pencil and black chalk drawing, highlighted with red chalk, on paper, 388 x 253mm, signed and dated ‘CS 1928’, half-length to left, half-profile to left, left arm across body, on same sheet as sketch of Charles Ricketts; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, PD.15-1948 (where entitled ‘Studies for a double portrait of Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon’ and dated to 1918). But not visibly related to the destroyed work listed below, and the inscribed date certainly appears to be 1928. Possibly exh. Barbizon House, 1928 (38).

Undated self-portraitsback to top

Bodycolour over pencil, 172 x 163mm, study for a double portrait with Charles Ricketts, half-length, turned to right, looking to front, wearing white shirt, figure of Ricketts on right, lamp on table; BM, London, 1938,1008.76).
A subsequent painting of the pair by Shannon was later destroyed, but is known from a photograph in V&A. Exh. An Aesthetic Partnership, Orleans House, Twickenham, 1979 (8).

By other artistsback to top

1893
Caricature by Charles Holmes, 25 Aug. 1893, whole-length, profile to right, being punched on nose by Holmes, Ricketts prostrate on floor; untraced. Repr. Holmes 1936, p.164.

1894
Two studies on brown paper by William Rothenstein:
(a) chalks, 336 x 241mm, half-length, three-quarter profile to left, on same sheet as unfinished sketch of Charles Ricketts; untraced. Ref. Rothenstein 1926, no.51.
For further related studies by Rothenstein, see entry for Charles Ricketts.
(b) black chalk and pastel, 445 x 355mm, signed and dated ‘Will R ’94’, half-length, profile to left, with Charles Ricketts; priv. coll.; formerly with Laurence Hodson. Exh. RSPP 1897 (138); ref. Rothenstein 1926, no.52; repr. Sotheby’s, 17 Mar. 1976 (6); Sotheby’s, 21 May 1986 (102, in colour); and Christie’s, 1 July 1993 (74, in colour).

1896
Two drawings by Alphonse Legros, signed and dated:
(a) red chalk, 438 x 302mm; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, 2101A.
(b) silverpoint on prepared grey ground, 359 x 289mm, head-and-shoulders; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, 2101B.
One of these exh. RSPP 1896 (189)

Pencil and coloured chalk drawing 380 x 298mm, by William Rothenstein, inscr. ‘WMR to CIH.S / Jan 96', half-length seated to left, arms folded, head towards viewer; with Stephen Ongpin (2013). Exh. British Institute of Adult Education (date not known); repr. Stephen Ongpin Fine Art Master Drawings 2013, New York, 2013 (37).

1897
Drawing in lithographic chalk, 152 x 254mm, by William Rothenstein, signed and dated ‘W.R. 97’, head-and-shoulders, full-face, left hand to chin; untraced. Possibly exh. Nicholson G., London, 1943 (20); ref. Rothenstein 1926, no.125.

Four lithographs by William Rothenstein:
(a) 332 x 415mm, signed and dated ‘W.R.97’, three-quarter-length, near-profile to left, seated, turning away from Charles Ricketts; ref. Rothenstein 1926, no.67; repr. Phillips, 5 Oct. 1981 (148).
(b) 335 x 230mm, signed and dated ‘W.R. 97’, half-length, seated at table, looking down, left hand to chin, to right of Charles Ricketts; publ. Rothenstein 1898a, no.18; BM, London, 1903,1006.28; and various other colls., incl. Sheffield CAG, Bradford AG, Auckland CAG, Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge. One print exh. The Wilde Years, Barbican AG, London, 2000 (147); ref. Rothenstein 1926, no.69 (two states); repr. Speight 1962, pl.2a; Darracott 1980, p.18; Calloway 1979, p.11; and Sato, Lambourne & Holland 2000, p.119.
(c) 311 x 260mm, signed and dated ‘W.R.. 97’, half-length, profile to left, seated, wearing gloves while handling prints; NPG D8966. Possibly exh. Brook G., London, 1934 (34); ref. Rothenstein 1926, no.68 (without image); repr. Deval & Muir cat., Bishops Stortford, 1970 (179).
(d) 377 x 284mm (sheet), signed and dated and inscr. lower right, half-length, profile to left, seated at table, left hand to chin, right hand holding paper; colls. Tullie House MAG, Carlisle, 1949.125.409; and BM, London, 1903,1006.29 (237 x 243mm). Exh. William Rothenstein: A Unique Collection, Carlisle CAG, 1971 (41).

1897–8
Pencil drawing, 314 x 229mm, by Alphonse Legros, head, profile to left; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, 2096. Presumably related to following item.

Bronze uniface medallion, 73mm diam., by Alphonse Legros, head, profile to left with two floating leaves; Ashmolean M., Oxford, HCR6936. Exh. Soc. of Medallists 1898 (2); Paris, 1900 (144); FAS, London, 1912 (148); and elsewhere; repr. Studio, 1898, p.262 and 1903, p.17; and The Medal, Sept. 1984, p.20. This item is thought to have been formerly in the collection of May Morris and in Kelmscott Manor sale, 19 July 1939 (287). Another copy, inscr. 'Charles Hazelwood Shannon R.A.'; untraced; exh. Abbott & Holder, London, List 410, summer 2011 (9, with same-size cast copper medallion showing figure drinking at fountain, inscr. 'Fontis Ad Origem', 'presumably intended for the reverse').

c.1902
Pen and ink on tracing paper, 60mm diam., by Charles Ricketts after Legros, inscr. ‘CH / SH- / ANN /-ON’ and ‘CR / SC’; BM, London, 1946,0209.98. Repr. as a wood engr. Ricketts 1902; repr. Ricketts 1939, p.57; Calloway 1979, p.11; Calloway & Delaney 1979, no.55
The woodblock, cut by Ricketts, is also in the British Museum, inscr. on reverse ‘from medal by Legros’ (1937,0612.496).

c.1902
Bronze bust by R.F. Wells, head only, under life-size; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, M.68-1937. Ref. Goodison 1955, no.228.

1903
Chalks drawing on grey paper, 302 x 244mm, by William Rothenstein, signed and dated, head-and-shoulders, profile to left; BM, London, 1925,0817.1. Possibly exh. RSPP 1903 (84); exh. Leicester G., London, 1925 (89); ref. Rothenstein 1928, no.172.

1904
Oil on canvas, 921mm x 730mm, by Jacques-Emile Blanche, three-quarter-length, profile to left, seated, with Charles Ricketts; Tate, N04907. Exh. NEAC winter 1904 (116); Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1906 (123); Nat. Portrait Soc., London, 1911 (44); Venice Biennale, 1912 (8); RSA, Edinburgh, 1914 (397); Jacques-Emile Blanche, peintre, M. des Beaux-Arts, Rouen, 1997 (33); and The Edwardians: Secrets and Desires, NG Australia, Canberra, 2004 (5); ref. 11 July 1904, Ricketts 1939, p.109; and Blanche 1937, p.144; also repr. Sutton 1966, p.147; Delaney 1978, p.13; Darracott 1980, p.67; and Rouen 1997, no.33.

1905
Two drawings in coloured chalks by Francis Dodd, signed and dated:
(a) 361 x 249mm, head-and-shoulders, turned to to right, folded arms just visible; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, 2037. Exh. British Portraits, RA, 1956 (762); ref. Goodison 1955, no.227.
(b) 300 x 220mm, half-length, to front; untraced. Exh. E. Harvane G., London. 1975 (40); Bonhams, 22 Feb. 1978 (23).

1907
Watercolour caricature, 326 x 406mm, by Max Beerbohm, Mr Ricketts and Mr Shannon in the enjoyment of popular success, whole-length, standing with Charles Ricketts and giant figure of John Bull; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, PD.24-1952. Exh. Carfax G., London, 1907; Leicester G., London, 1952; and An Aesthetic Partnership, Orleans House, Twickenham, 1979 (9); ref. Christie’s, 15 May 1942 (13); repr. Hart-Davis 1972, no.1227; and Delaney 1990, p.50.
An unidentified Beerbohm caricature of Ricketts and Shannon was exh. Edwardian Art, Towner AG, Eastbourne, 1951 (24).

1910
Bronze statuette, 345mm high, by Kathleen Scott, Lady Kennet, whole-length, seated on step, with sketchbook; Leeds CAG, 2/49. Repr. Leeds Sculpture Colls Illustrated Concise Catalogue, 1996, p.19.

1911
Watercolour caricature by Max Beerbohm, parody of Found by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, whole-length, kneeling, head turned to left, with Charles Ricketts who is attempting to ‘rescue’ Shannon from election to RA; Johannesburg AG. Exh. Leicester G., London, 1911; repr. Hart-Davis 1972, no.1228, pl.62.
This could be the Beerbohm caricature of Shannon and Ricketts exh. Edwardian Art, Towner AG, Eastbourne, 1951 (24).

1912
Ink drawing, 148 x 131mm, by Edmund Dulac, half-length, as figure in medieval style, with Dulac, Charles Ricketts and Edmund Davis; untraced. Repr. Sotheby’s, 20–21 June 1985 (632).

c.1914
Watercolour caricature, 290mm diam., by Edmund Dulac, Ri-Ke-Tsan-Dcha-Nhon, whole-length, seated with Charles Ricketts as Hindu gods; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, 2483. Exh. An Aesthetic Partnership, Orleans House, Twickenham, 1979 (11); Edmund Dulac, Mappin AG, Sheffield, CMAG Bristol and Geffrye M., London, 1983 (81); and The Age of Enchantment, Dulwich Picture G., 2007 (30); ref. Christie’s, 15 May 1942; repr. Calloway 1979, p.23; Dulac 1983, p.33; and Engen 2007, no.30 (in colour).

1920
Tempera on linen over board, 387 x 305mm, by Edmund Dulac, whole-length, full-face, in medieval monastic habit as Sanctus Carolus Imberbis, with Charles Ricketts as Sanctus Carolus Barbatus;Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge, PD.51-1966. Exh. Nat. Portrait Soc., 1921; and The Wilde Years, Barbican AG, London, 2000 (70); ref. Christie’s, 15 May 1942 (47); repr. Darracott 1980, p.80; and Sato, Lambourne & Holland 2000, p.102.


Possible portrait

1904
Charcoal drawing, 240 x 185mm, by William Orpen, head-and-shoulders; Cecil Higgins AG, Bedford, P411. Repr. Joll 2002, p.195.

Photographsback to top

A large collection of photographs mainly taken in the 1890s and formerly in the Ricketts and Shannon collection is now in the Fitzwilliam Museum; those published are listed below.

mid-1870s
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length, standing in commercial studio, wearing scholar’s mortarboard; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge. Repr. Darracott 1980, p.8.

mid-1880s
Photograph by unidentified photographer, half-length, nearly full-face, looking to front, seated at table, left hand to chin, before large print with Symbolist-style subject; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge. Repr. Darracott 1980, p.10.

Photograph by unidentified photographer, quarter-length, profile to right, wearing dark coat and pale tie; engr. by ?‘AHR’ repr. in unidentified periodical; and Delaney 1990, p.20.

c.1890
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length, standing, arms folded, with six other young men in football strip at St John’s School, Leatherhead; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge. Repr. Darracott 1980, p.9.

1893
Photograph by unidentified photographer, three-quarter-length, standing on balcony at the Vale, Chelsea, with three others incl. Llewellyn Hacon; repr. Holmes, 1936, p.170.
See also Conder, Ricketts.

before 1900?
Albumen cabinet card, 145 x 99mm, by Elliott & Fry, head-and-shoulders, profile to left, wearing deep stiff collar and tweed jacket; NPG x13184.

c.1902
Photograph by unidentified photographer, with four others incl. Florence Humphrey and Llewellyn Hacon; exh. Charles Conder, Graves AG, Sheffield 1967 (40).
See also Conder, Ricketts.

1903
Photographs by George Charles Beresford, 13 Oct. 1903, ten known poses:
(a) platinum print, 155 x 109mm, head-and-shoulders, full-face, wearing white bow tie, left hand to cheek; NPG x12914. Repr. Darracott 1980, p.58 (credit Hulton Getty).
(b) platinum print, 152 x 109mm, head-and-shoulders, nearly full-face, wearing white bow tie; colls Getty Images, 3351821; and NPG x12915.
(c) platinum print, head-and-shoulders, nearly full-face, looking forwards, slight smile and seen from lower viewpoint than (b); V&A, London, 1806-1939.
(d) platinum print, 154 x 108mm, head-and-shoulders, nearly full-face, right hand across chest to chin; NPG x12916.
(e) dry-plate glass neg., 159 x 113mm overall, almost identical pose to (d) with slightly different tilt to hand; NPG x6586.
(f) probable platinum print, head-and-shoulders, profile to right; repr. Delaney 1978, frontispiece (where uncredited and dated c.1905; however, same photographic style and same bow tie)
(g) probable platinum print, head-and-shoulders, profile to right, left hand to cheek; repr. Rosenblum, Stevens & Dumas 2000, p.242 (where credited to Hulton Getty, but image not found there).
(h) composite photograph on dry-plate glass neg., 113 x 157mm, head, full-face, alongside Charles Ricketts profile to left; NPG x6624.
(j) probably composite photograph, head-and-shoulders, profile to right (but pose not identical to [f] above), alongside Charles Ricketts; modern print (110 x 157mm) from original neg., NPG x32790.

1907
Photogravure, 205 x 162mm, by Alvin Langdon Coburn, 5 Feb. 1907, head-and-shoulders, profile to left; publ. with facsimile signature, Coburn 1913, pl.13; NPG Ax7780. See also Roy Davids Coll., Bonhams, 3 Oct. 2005 (214) and Roy Davids Coll., Bonhams, 29 Mar. 2011 (327); exh. An Aesthetic Partnership, Orleans House, Twickenham, 1979 (130). Coburn wrote of the sitting: ‘The profile of Charles Shannon in this series was made over six years ago… I had been attracted to him through his paintings and lithographs, and then one day I saw his finely chiselled profile at a reception and I asked a friend to introduce me. Later, in his large studio, flooded with light and filled with choice things of art, his own and others, a Grecian torso I remember, and rare examples of Oriental art, I went to see him, and it was here amid such fitting surroundings that I made my photograph. Some men seem to know instinctively how to construct just the right sort of background for themselves…’; Coburn 1913, p.22.
This is the primary photographic image of Shannon.

1911–12
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length, profile to left, wearing straw hat, standing before ruined wall with hieroglyphs, on visit to Egypt; Fitzwilliam M., Cambridge. Repr. Darracott 1980, p.78.

1922
Photographs by unidentified photographer, with Charles Ricketts and others at Chilham Castle; exh. An Aesthetic Partnership, Orleans House, Twickenham, 1979 (135).

Dr Jan Marsh