Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
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Chantrey Bequest
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<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/sir-frank-dicksee-149" aria-label="More by Sir Frank Dicksee" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Sir Frank Dicksee</a>
Two Crowns
Presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest 1900
abstract concepts
adults
agriculture, gardening & fishing
animals: features
animals: mammals
arch
architecture
armour
balcony
clothing and personal items
contemplation
crowd
crown
crown of thorns
crucifix
devotion
emotions and human qualities
emotions, concepts and ideas
feather
features
flag - non-specific
flower
garland
groups
halo
harness
history
horse
king
knight
lance
man
material world - gold crown
military
mysticism
objects
people
period: Middle Ages
plants and flowers
politics and society
religion and belief
religious
religious and ceremonial
riding
royalty and social rank
sceptre
society
soldier
spiritual world - crown of thorns
street
symbols and personifications
townscapes / man-made features
transport: land
universal religious imagery
vision
weapons
woman
work and occupations
<p>The Two Crowns of the title are the golden crown of a king and the crown of thorns worn by Christ on the cross. Dicksee invented this highly moral scene in which a medieval king, riding in a triumphal procession, is startled by the sight of a crucifix (or perhaps sees a vision of Christ) and is reminded of the transience of earthly power and success. In fact the chivalric, Christian knight had been a role model for the modern gentleman for most of the nineteenth century. This painting was bought for the nation from the Royal Academy in 1900 for £2,000.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
8 August 2005 – 4 October 2010
2010-10-04
8 August 2005 – 4 October 2010
2010-10-04
2005-08-08
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2005-08-08
Victorian Spectacle
Collection based display
1 March 2013 – 31 May 2013
2013-05-31
1 March 2013 – 31 May 2013
2013-05-31
2013-03-01
Yale Center for British Art (New Haven, USA)
http://ycba.yale.edu/index.asp
2013-03-01
Edwardian Opulence
Loan-out
The Two Crowns
support: 2311 × 1823 mm
frame: 2860 × 2355 × 240 mm
Presented by the Trustees of the <a href="/search?gid=999999977" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Chantrey Bequest</a> 1900
<p>In <i>The Two Crowns</i> Dicksee portrays an English medieval prince returning home in triumph on a white horse decorated with three feathers. Wearing a golden crown, he gazes up at a crucifix, Christ's crown of thorns contrasting starkly with the jewelled headpiece and opulent armour of the prince. Although surrounded by admiring onlookers, the prince is transfixed by the sight of this representation of Christ, a vivid reminder of the lack of importance of temporal power and riches.

</p><p><i>The Two Crowns </i>is one of a number of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>paintings</span></a> by Dicksee with a medieval theme, including<i> The Redemption of Tannhäuser </i>(1890) and <i>The Passing of Arthur </i>(1899). But in contrast to both these works <i>The Two Crowns </i>does not represent any particular historical event. Dicksee seizes the opportunity to create a scene brimming with pomp and ceremony. The jubilation of the crowds at the Prince's homecoming is represented with flying banners and coloured confetti thrown by the youthful maidens in the foreground and from the balcony above. Kestner has argued, however, that the image of the chivalrous prince confirms Dicksee's belief in 'Aryan empowerment, heroic conquest, and male dominance' (Kestner, p.192). Previously regarded as merely escapist Kestner highlights the subservient women gazing into the prince's blue eyes and the banner on the left which reads VS VINCI legible 'conquer -'; factors which, he believes, confirms the artist's later allegiance to Fascism. 

</p><p>Although the subject of <i>The Two Crowns </i>was not clear, Dicksee's painting of a chivalrous prince on horseback was well received at the 1900 Royal Academy exhibition. <i>The Times </i>critic commented 'among the good judges, all those who have not gone over with bag and baggage to the camp of the moderns will justly admire its many formal perfections  It is certainly a leading example of an art founded upon an English tradition, with many most admirable qualities' (quoted in Dibdin, p.18). The <i>Daily News </i>was equally enthusiastic remarking,<i> </i>'Of a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/composition" title="Glossary definition for 'Composition'"><span>composition</span></a> so full of detail, and with the detail so masterly rendered, perhaps the highest praise is that as a whole it impresses you' (quoted in Dibdin, p.18). The painting was acclaimed 'best picture of all' by a <i>Daily News</i> plebiscite (quoted in Dibdin, pp.16-18). In the same year <i>The Two Crowns</i> was purchased for the nation, under the terms of the Chantrey Bequest, for the enormous sum of £2,000.

</p><p><b>Further reading:<br/></b>Rimbault Dibdin, <i>Frank Dicksee His Life and Work, </i>London 1905, pp.16-18, reproduced p.11<br/>Joseph A Kestner, 'The Male Gaze in the Art of Frank Dicksee', <i>Annals of Scholarship, </i>vol.7, no.2, 1990, pp.191, reproduced Plate 4

</p><p>Heather Birchall<br/>May 2002<b><br/></b></p>
Summary
2005-09-15T00:00:00
summary
SHORT_TEXT
<p>The Two Crowns of the title are the golden crown of a king and the crown of thorns worn by Christ on the cross. Dicksee invented this highly moral scene in which a medieval king, riding in a triumphal procession, is startled by the sight of a crucifix (or perhaps sees a vision of Christ) and is reminded of the transience of earthly power and success. In fact the chivalric, Christian knight had been a role model for the modern gentleman for most of the nineteenth century. This <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> was bought for the nation from the Royal Academy in 1900 for £2,000. </p>
Display caption
2004-09-08T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N01839</b> THE TWO CROWNS 1900
<br/> 
<br/>Inscr. ‘Frank Dicksee 1900’ b.r.
<br/>Canvas, 91×72 1/2 (231×184).
<br/>Chantrey Purchase from the artist 1900.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> R.A., 1900 (167).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> E. Rimbault Dibdin, ‘Frank Dicksee’ in <i>The Art Annual</i>, 1905, pp.16–18, repr. p.11.</p>
<p>The subject, a medieval king riding home in triumph from victory past a crucifix, does not appear to represent any particular historical event. The moral purpose of this picture contrasts with the pure romance of his earlier ‘Harmony’. It was acclaimed as the best picture of the year by a <i>Daily News</i> plebiscite.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, I</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-07-16T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
abstract concepts adults agriculture, gardening & fishing animals: features animals: mammals arch architecture armour balcony clothing and personal items contemplation crowd crown crown of thorns crucifix devotion emotions and human qualities emotions, concepts and ideas feather features flag - non-specific flower garland groups halo harness history horse king knight lance man material world - gold crown military mysticism objects people period: Middle Ages plants and flowers politics and society religion and belief religious religious and ceremonial riding royalty and social rank sceptre society soldier spiritual world - crown of thorns street symbols and personifications townscapes / man-made features transport: land universal religious imagery vision weapons woman work and occupations