A Joint Museum Acquisition of a Rare British Self-Portrait

The nearly forgotten Baroque artist has garnered worldwide attention after four centuries.

A detail from the artist's self-portrait, circa 1635–1640, by William Dobson. Tate and the National Portrait Gallery, London. Public Domain

The British Baroque artist William Dobson (1611–1646) is not a household name, but that may be changing with the international news that London’s Tate and the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) have jointly acquired one of his rare self-portraits. The purchase price was 2,367,405 pounds ($3.2 million).

Among modern scholars, Dobson’s paintings have been critically acclaimed, especially after two 20th-century exhibitions. Art historians have found similarities between his work and that of such illustrious figures as Caravaggio and Rembrandt, two artists who also have important self-portraiture legacies. However, Dobson has long been forgotten by the general public due to personal and historical circumstances.