Charles de Sousy Ricketts

Sitterback to top

• Charles de Sousy Ricketts (1866-1931), Painter, designer and art collector. Sitter in 8 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Charles Haslewood Shannon (1863-1937), Painter and lithographer. Artist of 11 portraits, Sitter in 12 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Charles Ricketts was an artist, illustrator, theatre designer, author and printer; but he is perhaps best remembered now for his friendship with his fellow artist Charles Shannon. According to William Rothenstein, 'Ricketts, with his pale, delicate features, fair hair and pointed red-gold beard, looked like a Clouet drawing. Half French, he had the quick mind and the rapid speech of a southerner.' This portrait of Ricketts by Shannon was painted two years after Ricketts had founded the Vale Press. It is a record of their friendship, slightly tentative in its character, with Ricketts turning his head away so that he is seen in profile. He liked it precisely for this reason since it shows him 'turning away from the 20th century to think only of the 15th.' It is labelled on the back 'The Man in an Inverness Cloak'.

Related worksback to top

• NPG 3107: Charles Haslewood Shannon (companion portrait)

Linked publicationsback to top

• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: An Illustrated Guide, 2000, p. 167
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 167
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 523

Subjects & Themesback to top

• In profile
• On display at the Gallery