Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Frank Dicksee died in 1928; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1998.
In context
This For Remembrance — Frank Dicksee
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 75 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of Frank Dicksee (1853–1928) every dated painting, decade by decade
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/frank-dicksee-this-for-remembrance-9DJCMS-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Espresso #413b20
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 99.3% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 63 works by this artist, of which 17 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 11 of them, with 4.5% of that attention. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in London, United Kingdom
Sir Frank Dicksee stands as a luminous figure in the tapestry of Victorian art history, a painter whose brush captured the profound emotional depths of the late nineteenth century. Born in London in 1853, Dicksee was destined for a life steeped in the aesthetics of beauty and drama. He inherited a profound artistic lineage from his father, Thomas Dicksee, whose early guidance instilled in the young artist a reverence for classical technique and narrative power. This formative period in London laid the groundwork for a career that would eventually see him ascend to the highest echelons of the British art establishment, culminating in his prestigious role as President of the Royal Academy.
Dicksee’s artistic journey was deeply intertwined with the spirit of his age, characterized by a unique fusion of Romanticism and the lingering sensibilities of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. His formal training at the Royal Academy, which began in 1870, provided him with the rigorous technical foundation necessary to execute his grand visions. As he matured, his work moved beyond mere imitation of classical forms toward a more psychological approach to painting. He possessed an uncanny ability to breathe life into historical and literary subjects, transforming static scenes into breathing, emotive narratives that resonated with the Victorian fascination for chivalry, tragedy, and legend.
The true essence of Dicksee’s oeuvre lies in his capacity to weave complex stories through color and composition. His canvases are often celebrated for their theatricality, utilizing a vibrant palette where deep reds, lush greens, and ethereal blues create an atmosphere of heightened reality. Unlike many of his contemporaries who sought refuge in the tranquil depiction of landscapes, Dicksee frequently confronted the more turbulent aspects of the human condition. He utilized light and shadow not merely for clarity, but to evoke a sense of mystery and longing.
One of his most profound achievements was his ability to balance the monumental with the intimate. While he could command large-scale historical compositions, he was equally adept at capturing the delicate grace of his portraits. His depictions of women are particularly noteworthy; they are often portrayed with a refined elegance that reflects the fashionable sensibilities of the era, yet they possess an underlying psychological depth that suggests a much richer internal world. This duality—the ability to be both a chronicler of social grace and a dramatist of historical tragedy—is what defines his lasting legacy.
Key elements of his artistic development include:
The Influence of Lineage: The foundational mentorship of his father, Thomas Dicksee, which anchored his style in classical tradition.
Pre-Raphaelite Sensibilities: An emphasis on meticulous detail and the use of symbolic imagery to convey deeper meanings.
Narrative Depth: A commitment to subjects that explored mortality, such as his poignant work The Death of a Viking.
Academic Leadership: His rise through the Royal Academy, reflecting his status as a pillar of the British artistic community.
Though the tides of art history eventually shifted toward Modernism, the impact of Sir Frank Dicksee remains etched in the annals of British painting. He represented the pinnacle of the academic tradition, a period where art served as a bridge between historical myth and contemporary emotion. His work continues to fascinate collectors and historians alike, offering a window into a world of romanticized heroism and refined beauty. Through his mastery of the brush, Dicksee did more than just paint scenes; he captured the very soul of the Victorian era, ensuring that his dramatic visions would endure long after the passing of his time.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/frank-dicksee-this-for-remembrance-9DJCMS-en/
Look closely
This For Remembrance — Frank Dicksee
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
"This For Remembrance" by Frank Dicksee is a landscape composition. The proportions are worth checking before choosing a print size.
"This For Remembrance" is balanced overall, and its luminance is gentle luminance.
"This For Remembrance" is available as a high-resolution digital image download, purchased directly on its Digital Image page.