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Benjamin Robert Haydon

Benjamin Robert Haydon was an English painter and writer, a mediocre artist but a fascinating personality. Inspired by Reynolds’s Discourses, he aimed to bring a new seriousness to British art by producing historical and religious work in the Grand Manner and through them to educate and improve public taste. His life, which was punctuated by bankruptcy, imprisonment, and disputes with patrons, was a story of bombastic frustration and stubborn opposition to the establishment (particularly the Royal Academy), as he fought continuously for personal recognition and argued for the social purpose of art.

However, his talents fell far short of his lofty ambitions, his multi-figure compositions degenerating into turgid melodrama. His great monument, rather, is the massive collection of autobiographical writings he left behind him (various editions have been published), which gives fascinating insights into the contemporary artistic scene and paints a vividly detailed picture of his disturbed mind and tragicomical life. He was closely linked with the Romantic movement in literature, particularly with William Wordsworth, who wrote a sonnet to him, and with John Keats, painting portraits of both of them (NPG, London), and but for his lack of talent he would exemplify all the traits traditionally ascribed to the Romantic concept of genius. In true Romantic fashion his death came by suicide.

born Plymouth, 26 Jan. 1786

died London, 22 June 1846

Benjamin Robert Haydon Paintings

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-mary-queen-of-scots-when-an-infant

Mary, Queen of Scots When an Infant 1842

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-the-duke-of-wellington-describing-the-field-of-waterloo-to-hm-george-iv

The Duke of Wellington Describing the Field of Waterloo to HM George IV 1840

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-the-agony-in-the-garden

The Agony in the Garden

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-miss-mary-russell-mitford-1787-1855

Miss Mary Russell Mitford (1787–1855) 1824

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-thomas-alcock-1784-1833

Thomas Alcock (1784–1833) c.1825

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-portrait-of-a-man

Portrait of a Man

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-curtius-leaping-into-the-gulf

Curtius Leaping into the Gulf 1842

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-napoleon-bonaparte

Napoleon Bonapartec.1830Benjamin Robert Haydon (1786–1846)

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-the-anti-slavery-society-convention-1840

The Anti-Slavery Society Convention, 1840-1841

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-christ-blessing-the-children

Christ Blessing the Children

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-wordsworth-on-helvellyn

Wordsworth on Helvellyn c.1843

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-christ-blessing-the-little-children

Christ Blessing the Little Children c.1837

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-punch-or-may-day

Punch or May Day 1829

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-milton-and-his-daughters-at-the-organ

Milton and His Daughters at the Organ c.1839

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-alexander-the-great-356-323-bc-taming-bucephalus

Alexander the Great (356–323 BC), Taming Bucephalus 1826/1827

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-the-mock-election

The Mock Election 1827

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-chairing-the-member

Chairing the Member 1828

haydon-benjamin-robert-1786-1846-henrietta-nelson-noble

Henrietta Nelson Noble c.1830–1835

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