Charles Dibdin
- Artist: Arthur William Devis
- Artist: Charles Dibdin
- Date: 1803
- Medium: stipple
- Dimensions: Long Term Loan
- Portrays: Charles Dibdin
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
In this 1803 stipple portrait you see Charles Dibdin—1745 to 1814—a songwriter and dramatist. He faces us with a gentle profile, the artist’s brushwork rendered through stippling that gives the flesh a soft, almost dotted texture. The image was published by Dibdin himself after Arthur William Devis created it in his signature style. This piece came into the National Portrait Gallery via a long‑term loan and shows the kind of portraiture popular among early 19th‑century London artists. Notice how the fine stipple lines create depth while keeping the overall composition uncluttered.
See it in person
Charles Dibdin is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
