Sir Leslie Stephen

Sitterback to top

• Sir Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), Writer, philosopher and mountaineer; first editor of the Dictionary of National Biography. Sitter in 13 portraits.

Artistback to top

• George Frederic Watts (1817-1904), Painter and sculptor. Artist associated with 85 portraits, Sitter in 40 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This portrait was painted in a single sitting on 17 January 1878 as a wedding present for Stephen's fiancée, Julia Duckworth. A contemporary reviewer described Stephen's appearance in the painting as 'critical yet deprecating, sarcastic and mournful, fastidious, thoughtful and Bohemian: not one who ranks either himself or others very high, or expects much from a life that appears to him full of errors of taste, weaknesses of intellect, and futilities of aim'. The introspective, even melancholic, tone seems characteristic of Stephen's personality.

Subject/Themeback to top

• On display at the Gallery