Oil painting, 'Rev. Alexander Dyce (1798-1869) as a Boy', Attributed to George Watson PRSA, British School, c.1808-1815

Portrait of a boy, half-length, facing the viewer, the head and body turned slightly to the viewer’s left, arms folded across the body. Wearing dark blue trousers and jacket over a white shirt trimmed with ruffles at the collar. Leaning against a tree to the viewer’s far-right, against a landscape background.

Bequeathed by Mrs Donald Campbell

Bequeathed by Mrs Jane Campbell, niece of Rev. Alexander Dyce, in 1898. Although it was assigned a Museum number with the ‘Dyce’ prefix, this painting was not part of the original 1869 bequest from Rev. Alexander Dyce.

Rev. Alexander Dyce was an important early benefactor of the South Kensington Museum, now the V&A. Born on 30 June 1798 in Edinburgh, the son of Alexander Dyce and Frederica Campbell, Dyce graduated from Exeter College, Oxford, in 1829 and was admitted to Inner Temple in 1818, although he was never called to the bar. In 1823, he was ordained as an Anglican priest and after serving in two curacies, settled in London to pursue his literary and theatrical interests, which he funded through a legacy inherited from his father, a lieutenant-general in the Madras Infantry of the East India Company. Dyce worked as a textual editor and literary history, producing editions of Beaumont, Marlowe and Shakespeare and was closely involved in a number of emerging literary societies.

By his death on the 15 May 1869, Dyce had amassed an extensive collection which he left to the South Kensington Museum. The bequest comprised his library of more than 14,000 books, including many rare Elizabethan volumes, 80 paintings, 63 miniatures, 802 drawings, 1,511 prints, 74 rings, and 27 art objects.

This painting of Dyce as a boy was previously attributed to Scottish portraitist, Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823). The attribution was initiated in 1899, when an unnamed member of the Dyce family, noted only as ‘Mr Dyce’, asserted that the portrait had been painted by Raeburn (see note in Departmental Object File). However the attribution was ruled-out by former Keeper of Paintings, Basil Long in 1926, who felt that Dyce. 3348 bore little resemblance to Raeburn’s manner of painting. Basil Long suggested that the painting may possibly be attributed to Sir Martin Archer Shee PRA (1769-1850) (see note in Departmental Object File). He notes that Shee did not exhibit a portrait of Alexander Dyce at the Royal Academy under the sitter’s name but that the artist did exhibit a ‘Portrait of a Child’ around 1807. However, he acknowledges that there is nothing to indicate that this was the V&A painting Dyce.3348 (see note in Departmental Object File). Long additionally notes that a portrait of a young girl of a strikingly similar composition to Dyce.3348 appeared on the cover of ‘International Studio’ in August 1927 (NAL PP.24.LAW, image in Departmental Object File). However this image was not attributed.

Long also refers to “an apparently similar” painting by George Watson PRSA (1767-1837) which was reproduced in ‘A record of the collection of the Lady Leaver Art Gallery, Portsunlight’ in 1928 (Vol. 1, plate 41, p.68). In further support of an attribution to Watson, Long notes a painting by Watson sold at Christie’s on 31 July 1931 (Lot 72) which he felt was reminiscent of Dyce. 3348, particularly in the handling of the drapery. Comparison with the 1804 portrait of 'Gregor MacGregor (1786-1845)' by Watson, held by National Galleries Scotland lends weight to the possible attribution.

Dyce.3348 is an important early depiction of one of the most significant benefactors in the institutional history of the V&A and evidence is such that an attribution to George Watson now seems likely.

This portrait shows the Rev. Alexander Dyce (1798-1869) as a boy. Dyce went on to be an important early benefactor of the South Kensington Museum, now the V&A. After serving as an Anglican priest, Dyce settled in London to pursue his interests in literature and the theatre, becoming a noted editor and literary historian. During his lifetime, Dyce amassed a large collection of paintings, miniatures, drawings, books and art objects, which he bequeathed to the Museum at his death. His library of over 14,000 volumes, including many rarities of English, Italian and classical literature, as well as his collection of English watercolours and theatrical portraits were an important early contribution to the development of the V&A collections.

DYCE.3348