Félix Nadar, 1820 – 1910

Félix Nadar: The 100 Most Famous Paintings

Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855) is the most famous painting by Félix Nadar, held by the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland. Sarah Bernhardt (1864) and [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889) are the next two works the world knows best. From the 261 works of Félix Nadar in our catalogue, here are the 100 that collectors and museum visitors look at most, with the year, the museum and the story of each.

Rankade efter vår popularitetspoäng, som kombinerar sökningar, besök och beställningar för varje verk. Uppdaterad oktober 2026. Every masterpiece on this page can be ordered as a museum-quality, hand-painted oil reproduction or a fine art print, at the size you choose.

Porträtt av Félix Nadar
Félix Nadar · 1820 – 1910
Född · död
1820 – 1910, Rue Saint-Honoré
Rörelse
Pictorialism
Verk i vår katalog
261
Mest kända
Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855)
Flest verk på
J. Paul Getty Museum

Top 10: Félix Nadar's best-known paintings

Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855) av Félix Nadar
1

Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870)

1855 · Black and White Photography · Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland

This arresting black and white portrait offers us an intimate encounter with Alexandre Dumas père, the celebrated author whose pen spun tales of adventure and romance across Europe. Taken in 1855 by the masterful lens of Nadar, this photograph transcends a mere likeness; it is a carefully preserved moment of intellectual repose. The composition centers on Dumas’s upper torso, presenting him with an air that is both formal for its…

Sarah Bernhardt (1864) av Félix Nadar
2

Sarah Bernhardt

1864 · Acrylic On Canvas · J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Félix Nadar’s “Sarah Bernhardt,” captured in 1864, transcends the conventional portrait and becomes a profound study of presence—a frozen moment of theatrical intensity. More than simply a likeness, it's an intimate revelation of the legendary actress herself, radiating both vulnerability and formidable strength. The photograph, executed with the meticulous precision characteristic of Nadar’s work, offers a rare glimpse into Bernhardt’s carefully constructed stage persona, yet simultaneously hints at the woman…

[Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889) av Félix Nadar
3

[Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou

1889 · Acrylic On Canvas · J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Gaspard Félix Tournachon's photograph, "Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou’s ‘Theodora’," transcends a simple portrait; it’s a frozen moment of theatrical power and profound emotional resonance. Executed in 1889, this albumen print captures the legendary actress at the height of her career, embodying the formidable figure of Byzantine empress Theodora within Victorien Sardou's dramatic play. Tournachon, already a master of capturing fleeting expressions and atmospheric detail, here utilizes…

Paul and His Dog (1865) av Félix Nadar
4

Paul and His Dog

1865 · Black and White Photography · J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

In the quiet, silvered depths of Gaspard Félix Tournachon’s 1865 masterpiece, “Paul and His Dog,” we encounter a scene that transcends the boundaries of mere photography to become a profound meditation on the human condition. Captured during a period of immense historical upheaval, this work serves as an intimate window into a moment of stillness amidst the encro

Égouts De Paris (1861) av Félix Nadar
5

Égouts De Paris

1861 · Black and White Photography

We are looking at Égouts De Paris, a work produced by Nadar in 1861. This photograph captures the subterranean reality of Paris, France, focusing specifically on the city's sewer system. It is a rare glimpse into a space that remained hidden from the public eye during the mid-nineteenth century.

Pierrot the Photographer (1854) av Félix Nadar
6

Pierrot the Photographer

1854 · Acrylic On Canvas · Musée d'Orsay, Paris

Félix Nadar’s “Pierrot the Photographer,” created in 1854, isn't merely a portrait; it’s a meticulously constructed tableau vivant—a staged scene brimming with quiet observation and subtle commentary on the burgeoning world of photography. The image immediately draws the eye to Pierrot, a figure both familiar and unsettlingly modern, holding a camera poised as if capturing not just a likeness but an essence. He embodies the nascent spirit of the photographer…

Claude Debussy (1908) av Félix Nadar
10

Claude Debussy

1908

A Glimpse into Genius: Felix Nadar's Portrait of Claude Debussy This striking vintage photograph captures the renowned composer Claude Debussy in 1908, immortalized by the celebrated photographer Félix Nadar. More than just a likeness, this portrait offers a window into the soul of a musical innovator and reflects the burgeoning field of photography at the turn of the century. The image presents Debussy in a three-quarter view, his gaze directly…

The rest of the Félix Nadar ranking, 11 to 100

Félix Nadar's paintings by period

The subjects Félix Nadar painted most

The four subjects that return most often among these masterpieces, with the finest example of each.

Where to see Félix Nadar's paintings

De 4 museer som innehar flest av målningarna på denna sida.

Museum Stad Verk av Félix Nadar Målningar från denna lista
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los AngelesJ. Paul Getty Museum Los Angeles 3 Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou, Paul and His Dog
Cleveland Museum of Art, ClevelandCleveland Museum of Art Cleveland 1 Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870)
Musée d'Orsay, ParisMusée d'Orsay Paris 1 Pierrot the Photographer
Julius Böhler AG Starnberg 1 Égouts De Paris

Félix Nadar through the decades: one masterpiece for each

  1. 1850s
    Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855) av Félix Nadar
    No. 1 of 100

    Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870)

    Ålder 30 – 39 · Cleveland Museum of Art

    This arresting black and white portrait offers us an intimate encounter with Alexandre Dumas père, the celebrated author whose pen spun tales of adventure and romance across Europe.…

  2. 1860s
    Sarah Bernhardt (1864) av Félix Nadar
    Rank 2 / 100

    Sarah Bernhardt

    Ålder 40 – 49 · J. Paul Getty Museum

    Félix Nadar’s “Sarah Bernhardt,” captured in 1864, transcends the conventional portrait and becomes a profound study of presence—a frozen moment of theatrical intensity. More than simply a likeness,…

  3. 1870s
  4. 1880s
    [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889) av Félix Nadar
    Rank 3 / 100

    [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou

    Ålder 60 – 69 · J. Paul Getty Museum

    Gaspard Félix Tournachon's photograph, "Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou’s ‘Theodora’," transcends a simple portrait; it’s a frozen moment of theatrical power and profound emotional resonance.…

  5. 1890s
  6. 1900s
    Claude Debussy (1908) av Félix Nadar
    #10 of 100

    Claude Debussy

    Ålder 80 – 89

    A Glimpse into Genius: Felix Nadar's Portrait of Claude Debussy This striking vintage photograph captures the renowned composer Claude Debussy in 1908, immortalized by the celebrated photographer Félix…

Félix Nadar's paintings: frequently asked questions

What is the most famous Félix Nadar painting?Show the answer

Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855), Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Next come Sarah Bernhardt (1864) and [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889).

At what age did Félix Nadar paint Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870)?Show the answer

35 years old: Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) dates from 1855 and Félix Nadar was born in 1820.

Which are the 10 most famous Félix Nadar paintings?Show the answer

Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870), Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou, Paul and His Dog, Égouts De Paris, Pierrot the Photographer, portraits François Guizot, portraits Gioacchino Rossini, Eugène Viollet le Duc och Claude Debussy. The ranking above gives the year and the museum of each.

How many paintings by Félix Nadar are there?Show the answer

Our catalogue lists 261 works by Félix Nadar, dated from 1850 to 1908.

Where can I see the most famous Félix Nadar paintings?Show the answer

Most of them are in J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland) och Musée d'Orsay (Paris). The table above lists the museums one by one.

In which period did Félix Nadar paint the best-known works?Show the answer

In 1860s: 44 of the 100 works on this page date from then, among them Sarah Bernhardt.

What is the earliest famous Félix Nadar painting, and the latest?Show the answer

The earliest on this page is Gustave Courbet (1850), the latest Claude Debussy (1908).

What subjects did Félix Nadar paint?Show the answer

Photography (13), Portrait (11) och Victorian era (7), among the 100 works on this page.

What did Félix Nadar paint on, and with what?Show the answer

Black and White Photography: 3 of the 100 works on this page.

Which movement does Félix Nadar's art belong to?Show the answer

Pictorialism, as the paintings on this page show.

What Félix Nadar paintings does the J. Paul Getty Museum hold?Show the answer

Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou och Paul and His Dog are among the 3 works on this page held by the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Where can I buy a Félix Nadar reproduction?Show the answer

Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered as a museum-quality, hand-painted oil reproduction or a fine art print, in the size you choose, from the painting's own page.

Félix Nadar: biography

Félix Nadar: En pionjär inom fotografin

Tidigt liv och början

  • Född: Gaspard-Félix Tournachon den 5 april 1820 i Paris (även om vissa källor tyder på Lyon).
  • Hans far, Victor Tournachon, var boktryckare och bokhandlare.
  • Studerade ursprungligen medicin men tvingades överge studierna på grund av ekonomiska svårigheter efter faderns död.
  • Nadar, som han senare blev känd under, inledde sin karriär som karikatyrtecknare och romanförfattare med bidrag till olika tidningar.

Från karikatyr till fotografi

  • Började experimentera med fotografi omkring sci 1853.
  • Öppnade sin första fotostudio 1854 på 113 rue St. Lazare, och flyttade senare till 35 Boulevard des Capucines år 1860.
  • Uppnådde snabbt erkännande för sina slående och psykologiskt insiktsfulla porträtt.
  • Ett avståndstagande från konventioner: Nadar undvek de påkostade bakgrunder som var vanliga inom porträttkonsten; han föredrog istället naturligt ljus och ett fokus på den avbildades personlighet.

Pionjär inom luftfotografering

  • År 1858 blev Nadar den första personen att ta luftfotografier med hjälp av luftballonger.
  • Han övervann de tekniska utmaningarna med att framkalla fotografiska plåtar på hög höjd genom att uppfinna ett gasbeständigt bomullsskydd för sina ballongkorgar.
  • Han var även en pionjär inom användningen av artificiellt ljus i fotografi, särskilt i de parisiska katakomberna.
  • Le Géant: År 1863 beställde han konstruktionen av en massiv ballong vid namn ”Le Géant” (Jätten), vilket tjänade som inspiration till Jules Vernes *Fem veckor i en ballong*.

Stora prestationer och inflytande

  • Porträttkonst: Fotograferade ett flertal framstående personer, däribland Victor Hugo, Charles Baudelaire, Sarah Bernhard och Gustave Courbet.
  • Etablerade världens första luftposttjänst under belägringen av Paris (1870–71) genom att använda ballongflygningar.
  • Värd för den första impressionistutställningen i sin studio 1874, vilket gav en avgörande plattform för framväxande konstnärer.
  • Publicerade vad som anses vara det första fotointervjun år 1886, med kemisten Michel Eugène Chevreul.

Senare liv och arv

  • Flyttade sin studio till Marseille från 1895 till 1909.
  • Avled den 20 mars 1910 i Paris och är begravd på kyrkogården Père Lachaise.
  • Hans son, Paul Nadar, fortsatte att driva studion efter hans död.
  • Quand j’étais photographe: Publicerade en memoar där han reflekterade över sitt liv och sitt arbete, vilket erbjuder värdefulla inblickar i 1800-talets fotografi.
  • Historisk betydelse: Nadars innovativa tekniker och konstnärliga vision fick en djupgående inverkan på fotografins utveckling som konstform. Hans porträtt förblir ikoniska representationer av de parisiska intellektuella och konstnärliga kretsarna.

Alla 261 verk av Félix Nadar →