Benjamin Robert Haydon

Inscriptionback to top

Inscribed top left in pencil: Sir David Wilkie, and bottom in ink: a drawing by Sir David Wilkie of B. R. Haydon asleep/Lodging Clarence Place at Brighton 1815.

This portraitback to top

In October 1815 Haydon was in Brighton trying to recover his health and invited Wilkie to join him. 'In a few days down Wilkie came and found me weak in eyes and body' but they spent a 'very delightful time' there, less interested in Nash's Pavilion, then in its very early stages of being remodelled for the Prince Regent, than in Douglas's archaeological digs on the Downs. Wilkie's drawing records Haydon in the throes of depression, too exhausted even to take off his glasses to sleep.

Provenanceback to top

Given by Frederick Anthony White through the NACF 1908.

Exhibitionsback to top

'Sir David Wilkie', National Gallery of Scotland and RA London 1958 (45-75); on long loan to Dove Cottage from 1979.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

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