In the 19th century, fairy, gnome and elf motifs developed into an independent genre. The mythical creatures appeared more often, both on the paintings of many artists as well as motif in many exhibitions. A well-known representative of this genre was Richard Dadd, an English painter whose story began with an artist's successful career and ended with schizophrenia. His genres were: history, portraits and landscapes - but also elf motifs. The latter gained the interest of the audience in his youth and were praised by many critics, which promoted the development of this motif into a separate genre. It is speculated that the artist had already gained special interest in the elf theme at the Royal Academy School, where he studied and thus had contact with professors who were familiar with such motifs. In 1838, Richard Dadd founded The Clique, a group of painters whose main subject was academic painting. In this circle were artists such as
Augustus Egg ,
Alfred Elmore ,
John Phillip and others.
The development of his pictures goes hand in hand with the mental state of the painter; While the earlier works are perceived to be easier, the later ones seem to have succumbed to confusion (see "Tuberculosis" with "Come to these yellow sands"), and there are various opinions on how the onset of the disease affects Dadd's pictures took. However, it is clear: the details in the paintings are detailed and thoughtfully painted.
Noteworthy is the effect that the paintings evoke. While earlier elf portraits appear as part of a fantasy world, Dadd's works "experiment" with the viewer's consciousness. The consciousness had to be separated from the real world and put into a kind of trance. Although the artist was still painting during his stay in the hospital, he gradually got out of the art scene. Nonetheless, his works did not lose their importance and enjoyed attention at numerous exhibitions.
© Meisterdrucke