Updated October 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 261 works by Nadar in our catalogue
In short
Nadar's best-known piece is Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855). You'll find it at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland. Next on the list are Sarah Bernhardt (1864) and [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889). We have 261 works by Nadar in our catalogue; this guide picks out the 100 best known, with the year, the museum and the story of each piece.
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…
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…
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…
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
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.
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…
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…
Gustave Doré1855
12
Charles Baudelaire1855
13
Alexander Dumas Père1855
14
Honoré Daumier1855
15
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot1855
16
Félix Nadar1854
17
Pierrot pleading1854
18
Gustave Courbet1850
19
Charles Deburau, Pierrot listening1855
20
Gustave Doré1855
21
Charles Baudelaire1855
22
Pierrot Climbing Through a Window1854
23
Félix Nadar Indian like1863
24
Sarah Bernhardt in the Role of Junie in "Britannicus" by Jean Racine1860
25
Michail Bakunin1860
26
Mikhail Bakunin1860
27
Catacombes De Paris1861
28
Catacombes De Paris1861
29
Égouts De Paris1861
30
Théophile Gautier1857
31
Catacombes De Paris1861
32
Paul Nadar1862
33
Catacombes De Paris1861
34
Catacombes De Paris1861
35
Égouts De Paris1861
36
Catacombes De Paris1861
37
Self-Portrait1860
38
Égouts De Paris1861 · Julius Böhler AG
39
Catacombes De Paris1861
40
Catacombes De Paris1861
41
Hermaphrodite1860
42
Égouts De Paris1861
43
Self Portrait1860
44
Mikhail Bakunin in the Middle of His Career1860
45
Égouts De Paris1861
46
Égouts De Paris1861
47
Catacombes De Paris1861
48
Charles Baudelaire1862
49
Hermaphrodite1860
50
Hermaphrodite1860
51
Nadar Lying On A Bench With A Cat1860
52
Gustave Courbet1860
53
Self Portrait in American Indian Costume1863
54
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon1860
55
Gustave Courbet1860
56
Seated Model, Partially Draped1859
57
Gioacchino Rossini1857
58
Gioacchino Rossini1856
59
Gustave Doré1867
60
Sarah Bernhardt1865
61
Alphonse Daudet1866
62
Edouard Manet1867
63
George Sand1870
64
Victor Hugo1870
65
Victor Hugo1870
66
George Sand1864
67
Gustave Flaubert1869
68
George Sand1870
69
George Sand1864
70
George Sand1865
71
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon1865
72
Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid1877
73
Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid1877
74
Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid1878
75
Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid1878
76
Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid1878
77
Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid1878
78
La Grande-duchesse De Toscane Et La Duchesse De Madrid1878
79
Sarah Bernhardt as Dona Sol in 'Hernani'1877
80
Carlist Claimant Carlos VII (centre, bearded) with Members of His General Staff and Soldiers During the Third Carlist War, Probably near Tolosa1875
81
Jules Verne1878
82
Edmond De Goncourt1877
83
Édouard Manet1880
84
Emile Zola1885
85
Gustave Doré Photographed at His Deathbed1883
86
Sarah Bernhardt1880
87
Gustave Doré1883
88
Honoré Daumier1884
89
Victor Hugo1885
90
Sarah Bernhardt as Floria Tosca in Sardou's Play 'La Tosca' ( act 1)1887
91
Jane Pierny Dans Champignol Au Théâtre Des Nouveautés1892
92
Alphonse Daudet1891
93
Alexander III., With Xenia, Olga, the Tsarevich Nikolaj, Georg, Michael and the Tsarina Marie1886
94
Paul Nadar, Photographie Prise Le 26 Décembre 18881888
95
Charles Gounod1890
96
Auguste Rodin1891
97
Franz Liszt1886
98
Stéphane Mallarmé1890
99
Guy De Maupassant1888
100
Guy De Maupassant1888
The four subjects that come up most often in these pieces, each with its best-known example.
The 4 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Nadar | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 J. Paul Getty Museum |
Los Angeles | 3 | Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou, Paul and His Dog |
 Cleveland Museum of Art |
Cleveland | 1 | Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) |
 Musée d'Orsay |
Paris | 1 | Pierrot the Photographer |
| Julius Böhler AG | Starnberg | 1 | Égouts De Paris |
Pick a decade to see its standout piece.
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…
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…
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…
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…
Top of the list is Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855), Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Right behind it: Sarah Bernhardt (1864) and [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889).
35 years old. Nadar was born in 1820, and Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) dates from 1855.
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 and Claude Debussy. You'll find the year and the museum of each in the list above.
We have 261 works by Nadar in our catalogue, dated 1850 to 1908.
You'll find most of them in J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland) and Musée d'Orsay (Paris). The museum list above has the full breakdown.
In 1860s, more than any other time: 44 of the 100 pieces on this page date from then, Sarah Bernhardt among them.
The earliest piece here is Gustave Courbet (1850); the most recent is Claude Debussy (1908).
Photography (13), Portrait (11) and Victorian era (7), out of the 100 pieces on this page.
Black and White Photography, used in 3 of the 100 pieces on this page.
Pictorialism, as you can see in the pieces on this page.
You can see 3 of the pieces on this page at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, including Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou and Paul and His Dog.
Yes. Every painting on this page is available as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print, in the size that suits you. Just open the painting's page to order.
