Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/thomas-phillips-423" aria-label="More by Thomas Phillips" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Thomas Phillips</a>
Sir David Wilkie RA
Presented by the artist 1842
adults
artist, painter
arts and entertainment
fine arts and music
individuals: male
man
named individuals
objects
paintbrush
people
portraits
Wilkie, David, Sir
work and occupations
<p>David Wilkie was born in Scotland into a poor family, but became one of the great artistic success-stories of the early nineteenth century. He achieved virtually overnight success in London in the 1800s with sentimental, narrative paintings of rural life in his homeland.</p><p>By the time Phillips painted this portrait, Wilkie had spent several years touring Europe, and had turned to literary and historical subjects of a more conventional character. The abstracted, gloomy setting, and the painter’s glancing expression suggest an inspired, poetic personality.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
3 November 2003 – 19 January 2004
2004-01-19
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2003-11-03
Portraits of Artists
Collection based display
22 March 2013 – 1 September 2013
2013-09-01
22 March 2013 – 1 September 2013
2013-09-01
2013-03-22
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2013-03-22
Image of the British School
Collection based display
Sir David Wilkie, R.A.
support: 997 × 762 mm
frame: 1315 × 1082 × 132 mm
Presented by the artist 1842
<div class="pbodytext">
<span class="text18">David Wilkie was born in Scotland into  a poor family,      but became one of the great artistic success-stories of the early      nineteenth century. He achieved virtually overnight success in London in      the  1800s with sentimental, <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/n/narrative" title="Glossary definition for 'Narrative'"><span>narrative</span></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/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>paintings</span></a> of rural life in his      homeland.  </span>
</div>
<div class="para9">
<span class="text18">
<br/> </span>
</div>
<div class="pbodytext">
<span class="text18">By the time Phillips painted 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/portrait" title="Glossary definition for 'Portrait'"><span>portrait</span></a>, Wilkie had      spent several years touring Europe, and had turned to literary and      historical subjects of a more conventional character. The <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/a/abstract-art" title="Glossary definition for 'Abstract art'"><span>abstracted</span></a>,      gloomy setting, and the painter’s glancing expression suggest an      inspired, poetic personality.  </span>
</div>

Display caption
2004-09-08T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
adults artist, painter arts and entertainment fine arts and music individuals: male man named individuals objects paintbrush people portraits Wilkie, David, Sir work and occupations