William Dobson’s self-portrait is thought to have been painted in 1639, just before he rose to acclaim and became a favourite to the royal court. It had previously been part of a private collection, but thanks to our £1.6million grant, the painting has been jointly acquired for public display by two galleries.

The collaborative project will see Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery work together to reach new audiences and tour the self-portrait across the UK.

By acquiring important heritage like this for public collections, we ensure it will be safeguarded for people across the UK, permanently. This is why our Heritage 2033 strategy provides opportunities for supporting acquisitions as part of projects which consider our four investment principles.

A significant self-portrait

In 1641, during the English Civil War, William Dobson succeeded Anthony Van Dyck as King Charles I’s official painter. He began by painting portraits of royalist officers and courtiers, which are now seen as key examples of the English Baroque style – a genre defined towards the end of the 17th century. As the war continued and artistic supplies became harder to find, Dobson’s work evolved and began to show his sitters in a new light of uncertainty and anxiety.

This self-portrait is one of a pair Dobson painted. The other shows his wife Judith, and is a part of Tate’s collection. He likely created both paintings as private works to be displayed in the couple’s own home. Dobson’s self-portrait shows him in an informal and intimate light which is very different to the conventional style of the time.

Not many works by Dobson have survived – these two portraits are the only ones known to exist before his time at King Charles’ exiled court in Oxford.

A partnership approach

A real strength of this acquisition is the partnership between Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery. The painting will be shared and exhibited alternately in both galleries to reach wider audiences and offer different contexts for its interpretation.

A range of activities will introduce new audiences to Dobson and his work, including a particular focus on engaging young people with themes such as self-representation and art during war and conflict, drawing comparisons between the 17th century and present-day challenges.  

The self-portrait will also tour partner venues across the UK that hold works by Dobson in their collections or have a link to the English Civil War. Environmental sustainability will be a key priority during its journeys.

Saving heritage at risk

Through Heritage 2033, we can support acquisitions of exceptional heritage where our four investment principles are taken into account. For example, acquisitions can help an organisation grow the breadth and range of stories it can tell through its collections, in turn increasing inclusion, access and participation and improving organisational sustainability.

We've recently also supported the acquisition of Barbara Hepworth’s Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red by The Hepworth Wakefield with a £1.89m grant. The sculpture, which was created during the Second World War, marked a breakthrough in Hepworth’s career – it’s one of the few wooden carvings she made during the 1940s and one of her first major works using strings. It will go on display at The Hepworth Wakefield for the UK public to enjoy, forever.

Since 1994 we have awarded £2.5billion to 6,000 museum, library, archive and collection-based projects across the UK. Discover more inspiring projects we’ve funded.