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Jacques Joseph (James) Tissot, 'Portrait of Algernon Moses Marsden', 1877

About the work

For its lavish interiors, the objets d’art in the background, and the swaggering self-confidence of the sitter, this portrait has become an icon of the late 19th century’s Aesthetic movement. Painted by Jacques Joseph (James) Tissot, a French émigré who settled in London in 1871, it depicts the art dealer Algernon Moses Marsden (1847–1920). Tissot captures him at the height of his fame. Marsden, then aged 30, sits nonchalantly in a leather armchair covered by a tiger-skin rug. He leans his head on his left hand while holding a cigar in his right, his gaze directed at the viewer. A member of a wealthy Jewish family of clothing retailers, in 1872 Marsden established himself as an art dealer. A gambler and bon viveur, he would later file for bankruptcy three times.

Key facts

Full title
Portrait of Algernon Moses Marsden
Artist
Jacques Joseph (James) Tissot
Artist dates
1836 - 1902
Date made
1877
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
48 × 72.5 cm
Inscription summary
Signed; Dated
Acquisition credit
Bought jointly by the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, with the generous support of Sir Martyn Arbib and his children, 2022
Inventory number
NG6696
Location
Room 41
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
19th-century French Frame (original frame)

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.