Photo archive
Oscar Wilde
Irish writer and public figure; lived 1854–1900.
Revolution & Modern Icons
Based on surviving lifetime photographs
Polishing the portrait...
Irish writer, playwright, and wit.
Life and work
Wilde wrote plays, essays, stories, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. His public success, trial, imprisonment, and exile made him one of the defining literary figures of the late nineteenth century.
Why it matters
Surviving photographs give a direct visual record of the writer behind the work.
Visual source note
Based on surviving lifetime photographs
Image basis: Napoleon Sarony photographs.
Sourcesshow
National Portrait Gallery, Oscar Wilde by Napoleon Sarony
strong appearance evidence / publicity photograph
Open source