Of all Nadar's paintings, Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855) is the most famous; it hangs in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Close behind come Sarah Bernhardt (1864) and [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889). Among the 261 works by Nadar in our catalogue, these 100 are the most celebrated, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
Ranked by our popularity score, which combines the searches, visits and orders for each work. Updated October 2026. Each painting on this page can be ordered as an oil reproduction painted by hand on linen canvas, or as a fine art print, made to the size you choose.
This arresting black and white portrait offers us an intimate encounter with Alexandre Dumas père, the celebrated author whose pen spun tales of adventure and romance across Europe. Taken in 1855 by the masterful lens of Nadar, this photograph transcends a mere likeness; it is a carefully preserved moment of intellectual repose. The composition centers on Dumas’s upper torso, presenting him with an air that is both formal for its…
Félix Nadar’s “Sarah Bernhardt,” captured in 1864, transcends the conventional portrait and becomes a profound study of presence—a frozen moment of theatrical intensity. More than simply a likeness, it's an intimate revelation of the legendary actress herself, radiating both vulnerability and formidable strength. The photograph, executed with the meticulous precision characteristic of Nadar’s work, offers a rare glimpse into Bernhardt’s carefully constructed stage persona, yet simultaneously hints at the woman…
Gaspard Félix Tournachon's photograph, "Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou’s ‘Theodora’," transcends a simple portrait; it’s a frozen moment of theatrical power and profound emotional resonance. Executed in 1889, this albumen print captures the legendary actress at the height of her career, embodying the formidable figure of Byzantine empress Theodora within Victorien Sardou's dramatic play. Tournachon, already a master of capturing fleeting expressions and atmospheric detail, here utilizes…
In the quiet, silvered depths of Gaspard Félix Tournachon’s 1865 masterpiece, “Paul and His Dog,” we encounter a scene that transcends the boundaries of mere photography to become a profound meditation on the human condition. Captured during a period of immense historical upheaval, this work serves as an intimate window into a moment of stillness amidst the encro
We are looking at Égouts De Paris, a work produced by Nadar in 1861. This photograph captures the subterranean reality of Paris, France, focusing specifically on the city's sewer system. It is a rare glimpse into a space that remained hidden from the public eye during the mid-nineteenth century.
Félix Nadar’s “Pierrot the Photographer,” created in 1854, isn't merely a portrait; it’s a meticulously constructed tableau vivant—a staged scene brimming with quiet observation and subtle commentary on the burgeoning world of photography. The image immediately draws the eye to Pierrot, a figure both familiar and unsettlingly modern, holding a camera poised as if capturing not just a likeness but an essence. He embodies the nascent spirit of the photographer…
A Glimpse into Genius: Felix Nadar's Portrait of Claude Debussy This striking vintage photograph captures the renowned composer Claude Debussy in 1908, immortalized by the celebrated photographer Félix Nadar. More than just a likeness, this portrait offers a window into the soul of a musical innovator and reflects the burgeoning field of photography at the turn of the century. The image presents Debussy in a three-quarter view, his gaze directly…
The four subjects that return most often on these canvases, each with its best-loved example.
The 4 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Nadar | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 J. Paul Getty Museum |
Los Angeles | 3 | Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou, Paul and His Dog |
 Cleveland Museum of Art |
Cleveland | 1 | Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) |
 Musée d'Orsay |
Paris | 1 | Pierrot the Photographer |
| Julius Böhler AG | Starnberg | 1 | Égouts De Paris |
This arresting black and white portrait offers us an intimate encounter with Alexandre Dumas père, the celebrated author whose pen spun tales of adventure and romance across Europe.…
Félix Nadar’s “Sarah Bernhardt,” captured in 1864, transcends the conventional portrait and becomes a profound study of presence—a frozen moment of theatrical intensity. More than simply a likeness,…
Gaspard Félix Tournachon's photograph, "Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou’s ‘Theodora’," transcends a simple portrait; it’s a frozen moment of theatrical power and profound emotional resonance.…
A Glimpse into Genius: Felix Nadar's Portrait of Claude Debussy This striking vintage photograph captures the renowned composer Claude Debussy in 1908, immortalized by the celebrated photographer Félix…
Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855), Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Sarah Bernhardt (1864) and [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889) follow.
Nadar, born in 1820, was 35 years old: Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) dates from 1855.
Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870), Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou, Paul and His Dog, Égouts De Paris, Pierrot the Photographer, portraits François Guizot, portraits Gioacchino Rossini, Eugène Viollet le Duc and Claude Debussy. Each canvas in the ranking above comes with its year and its museum.
261 works by Nadar are in our catalogue, dated 1850 to 1908.
Mostly in J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland) and Musée d'Orsay (Paris); the list above names each museum and its canvases.
In 1860s, which gave 44 of the 100 works on this page, Sarah Bernhardt among them.
The earliest canvas here is Gustave Courbet (1850); the latest is Claude Debussy (1908).
Photography (13), Portrait (11) and Victorian era (7), across the 100 works on this page.
Black and White Photography, used in 3 of the 100 works on this page.
Pictorialism, as the canvases on this page show.
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles holds 3 of the works on this page, among them Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou and Paul and His Dog.
Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered from its own page as an oil reproduction painted by hand, or as a fine art print, in the size you choose.
