Portrait of Надар

Your Guide to the 100 Most Famous Надар Paintings

Updated Жовтень 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 261 works by Надар in our catalogue

In short

Надар's best-known piece is Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855). You'll find it at the Клівлендський музей мистецтва in Клівленд. Next on the list are Sarah Bernhardt (1864) and [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889). We have 261 works by Надар in our catalogue; this guide picks out the 100 best known, with the year, the museum and the story of each piece.

1820 – 1910, Париж Pictorialism Most works: Музей Дж. Пола Гетті

The 10 Надар paintings to know first

1
Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855) by Надар

Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870)

1855 · Black and White Photography · Клівлендський музей мистецтва, Клівленд

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…

2
Sarah Bernhardt (1864) by Надар

Sarah Bernhardt

1864 · Acrylic On Canvas · Музей Дж. Пола Гетті, Лос-Анджелес

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…

3
[Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889) by Надар

[Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou

1889 · Acrylic On Canvas · Музей Дж. Пола Гетті, Лос-Анджелес

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…

4
Paul and His Dog (1865) by Надар

Paul and His Dog

1865 · Black and White Photography · Музей Дж. Пола Гетті, Лос-Анджелес

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

5
Égouts De Paris (1861) by Надар

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.

6
Pierrot the Photographer (1854) by Надар

Pierrot the Photographer

1854 · Acrylic On Canvas · Музей д’Орсе, Париж

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…

10
Claude Debussy (1908) by Надар

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…

Numbers 11 to 100: more Надар paintings

11Gustave Doré (1855) by НадарGustave Doré1855 12Charles Baudelaire (1855) by НадарCharles Baudelaire1855 13Alexander Dumas Père (1855) by НадарAlexander Dumas Père1855 14Honoré Daumier (1855) by НадарHonoré Daumier1855 15Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1855) by НадарJean-Baptiste-Camille Corot1855 16Félix Nadar (1854) by НадарFélix Nadar1854 17Pierrot pleading (1854) by НадарPierrot pleading1854 18Gustave Courbet (1850) by НадарGustave Courbet1850 19Charles Deburau, Pierrot listening (1855) by НадарCharles Deburau, Pierrot listening1855 20Gustave Doré (1855) by НадарGustave Doré1855 21Charles Baudelaire (1855) by НадарCharles Baudelaire1855 22Pierrot Climbing Through a Window (1854) by НадарPierrot Climbing Through a Window1854 23Félix Nadar Indian like (1863) by НадарFélix Nadar Indian like1863 24Sarah Bernhardt in the Role of Junie in "Britannicus" by Jean Racine (1860) by НадарSarah Bernhardt in the Role of Junie in "Britannicus" by Jean Racine1860 25Michail Bakunin (1860) by НадарMichail Bakunin1860 26Mikhail Bakunin (1860) by НадарMikhail Bakunin1860 27Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 28Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 29Égouts De Paris (1861) by НадарÉgouts De Paris1861 30Théophile Gautier (1857) by НадарThéophile Gautier1857 31Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 32Paul Nadar (1862) by НадарPaul Nadar1862 33Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 34Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 35Égouts De Paris (1861) by НадарÉgouts De Paris1861 36Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 37Self-Portrait (1860) by НадарSelf-Portrait1860 38Égouts De Paris (1861) by НадарÉgouts De Paris1861 · Julius Böhler AG 39Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 40Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 41Hermaphrodite (1860) by НадарHermaphrodite1860 42Égouts De Paris (1861) by НадарÉgouts De Paris1861 43Self Portrait (1860) by НадарSelf Portrait1860 44Mikhail Bakunin in the Middle of His Career (1860) by НадарMikhail Bakunin in the Middle of His Career1860 45Égouts De Paris (1861) by НадарÉgouts De Paris1861 46Égouts De Paris (1861) by НадарÉgouts De Paris1861 47Catacombes De Paris (1861) by НадарCatacombes De Paris1861 48Charles Baudelaire (1862) by НадарCharles Baudelaire1862 49Hermaphrodite (1860) by НадарHermaphrodite1860 50Hermaphrodite (1860) by НадарHermaphrodite1860 51Nadar Lying On A Bench With A Cat (1860) by НадарNadar Lying On A Bench With A Cat1860 52Gustave Courbet (1860) by НадарGustave Courbet1860 53Self Portrait in American Indian Costume (1863) by НадарSelf Portrait in American Indian Costume1863 54Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1860) by НадарPierre-Joseph Proudhon1860 55Gustave Courbet (1860) by НадарGustave Courbet1860 56Seated Model, Partially Draped (1859) by НадарSeated Model, Partially Draped1859 57Gioacchino Rossini (1857) by НадарGioacchino Rossini1857 58Gioacchino Rossini (1856) by НадарGioacchino Rossini1856 59Gustave Doré (1867) by НадарGustave Doré1867 60Sarah Bernhardt (1865) by НадарSarah Bernhardt1865 61Alphonse Daudet (1866) by НадарAlphonse Daudet1866 62Edouard Manet (1867) by НадарEdouard Manet1867 63George Sand (1870) by НадарGeorge Sand1870 64Victor Hugo (1870) by НадарVictor Hugo1870 65Victor Hugo (1870) by НадарVictor Hugo1870 66George Sand (1864) by НадарGeorge Sand1864 67Gustave Flaubert (1869) by НадарGustave Flaubert1869 68George Sand (1870) by НадарGeorge Sand1870 69George Sand (1864) by НадарGeorge Sand1864 70George Sand (1865) by НадарGeorge Sand1865 71Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1865) by НадарPierre-Joseph Proudhon1865 72Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid (1877) by НадарDuchesse Marguerita De Madrid1877 73Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid (1877) by НадарDuchesse Marguerita De Madrid1877 74Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid (1878) by НадарDuchesse Marguerita De Madrid1878 75Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid (1878) by НадарDuchesse Marguerita De Madrid1878 76Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid (1878) by НадарDuchesse Marguerita De Madrid1878 77Duchesse Marguerita De Madrid (1878) by НадарDuchesse Marguerita De Madrid1878 78La Grande-duchesse De Toscane Et La Duchesse De Madrid (1878) by НадарLa Grande-duchesse De Toscane Et La Duchesse De Madrid1878 79Sarah Bernhardt as Dona Sol in 'Hernani' (1877) by НадарSarah Bernhardt as Dona Sol in 'Hernani'1877 80Carlist Claimant Carlos VII (centre, bearded) with Members of His General Staff and Soldiers During the Third Carlist War, Probably near Tolosa (1875) by НадарCarlist Claimant Carlos VII (centre, bearded) with Members of His General Staff and Soldiers During the Third Carlist War, Probably near Tolosa1875 81Jules Verne (1878) by НадарJules Verne1878 82Edmond De Goncourt (1877) by НадарEdmond De Goncourt1877 83Édouard Manet (1880) by НадарÉdouard Manet1880 84Emile Zola (1885) by НадарEmile Zola1885 85Gustave Doré Photographed at His Deathbed (1883) by НадарGustave Doré Photographed at His Deathbed1883 86Sarah Bernhardt (1880) by НадарSarah Bernhardt1880 87Gustave Doré (1883) by НадарGustave Doré1883 88Honoré Daumier (1884) by НадарHonoré Daumier1884 89Victor Hugo (1885) by НадарVictor Hugo1885 90Sarah Bernhardt as Floria Tosca in Sardou's Play 'La Tosca' ( act 1) (1887) by НадарSarah Bernhardt as Floria Tosca in Sardou's Play 'La Tosca' ( act 1)1887 91Jane Pierny Dans Champignol Au Théâtre Des Nouveautés (1892) by НадарJane Pierny Dans Champignol Au Théâtre Des Nouveautés1892 92Alphonse Daudet (1891) by НадарAlphonse Daudet1891 93Alexander III., With Xenia, Olga, the Tsarevich Nikolaj, Georg, Michael and the Tsarina Marie (1886) by НадарAlexander III., With Xenia, Olga, the Tsarevich Nikolaj, Georg, Michael and the Tsarina Marie1886 94Paul Nadar, Photographie Prise Le 26 Décembre 1888 (1888) by НадарPaul Nadar, Photographie Prise Le 26 Décembre 18881888 95Charles Gounod (1890) by НадарCharles Gounod1890 96Auguste Rodin (1891) by НадарAuguste Rodin1891 97Franz Liszt (1886) by НадарFranz Liszt1886 98Stéphane Mallarmé (1890) by НадарStéphane Mallarmé1890 99Guy De Maupassant (1888) by НадарGuy De Maupassant1888 100Guy De Maupassant (1888) by НадарGuy De Maupassant1888

Надар's paintings, period by period

What Надар painted most

The four subjects that come up most often in these pieces, each with its best-known example.

Where you can see Надар's paintings

The 4 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by Надар Paintings from this list
Музей Дж. Пола Гетті, Лос-АнджелесМузей Дж. Пола Гетті Лос-Анджелес 3 Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou, Paul and His Dog
Клівлендський музей мистецтва, КлівлендКлівлендський музей мистецтва Клівленд 1 Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870)
Музей д’Орсе, ПарижМузей д’Орсе Париж 1 Pierrot the Photographer
Julius Böhler AG Starnberg 1 Égouts De Paris

Decade by decade: the best-known Надар piece of each

Works per decade

Pick a decade to see its standout piece.

Надар: quick answers about the paintings

What is Надар's best-known painting?See the answer

Top of the list is Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870) (1855), Клівлендський музей мистецтва, Клівленд. Right behind it: Sarah Bernhardt (1864) and [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou (1889).

What age was Надар when creating Alexandre Dumas père (1802-1870)?See the answer

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

What are Надар's top 10 paintings?See 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 and Claude Debussy. You'll find the year and the museum of each in the list above.

How many works by Надар are in your catalogue?See the answer

We have 261 works by Надар in our catalogue, dated 1850 to 1908.

In which museums can you see Надар's famous works?See the answer

You'll find most of them in Музей Дж. Пола Гетті (Лос-Анджелес), Клівлендський музей мистецтва (Клівленд) and Музей д’Орсе (Париж). The museum list above has the full breakdown.

When did Надар make the most famous pieces?See the answer

In 1860s, more than any other time: 44 of the 100 pieces on this page date from then, Sarah Bernhardt among them.

What are Надар's first and last famous pieces?See the answer

The earliest piece here is Gustave Courbet (1850); the most recent is Claude Debussy (1908).

Which subjects did Надар paint most often?See the answer

Photography (12), Portrait (10) and Nadar (7), out of the 100 pieces on this page.

Which medium shows up most in Надар's paintings?See the answer

Black and White Photography, used in 3 of the 100 pieces on this page.

What style or movement is Надар known for?See the answer

Pictorialism, as you can see in the pieces on this page.

Which famous Надар paintings are at the Музей Дж. Пола Гетті?See the answer

You can see 3 of the pieces on this page at the Музей Дж. Пола Гетті, Лос-Анджелес, including Sarah Bernhardt, [Sarah Bernhardt as the Empress Theodora in Sardou and Paul and His Dog.

Where can I order a Надар reproduction?See the answer

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.

Надар's story

Фелікс Надар: Першопроходець фотографії

Ранні роки та початки

  • Народився: Гаспар-Фелікс Турнашон 5 квітня 1820 року в Парижі (хоча деякі джерела вказують на Ліон).
  • Його батько, Віктор Турнашон, був друкарem та книготорговцем.
  • Спочатку він вивчав медицину, але був змушений покинути навчання через фінансові труднощі після смерті батька.
  • Надар, як він став відомим, розпочав свою кар'єру як карикатурист і романіст, працюючи в різних газетах.

Від карикатури до фотографії

  • Почав експериментувати з фотографією приблизно у 1853 році.
  • Відкрив свою першу фотостудію у 1854 році за адресою rue St. Lazare, 113, пізніше переїхавши на Boulevard des Capucines, 35 у 1860 році.
  • Швидко здобув визнання завдяки своїм вражаючим та психологічно глибоким портретам.
  • Відмова від канонів: Надар уникав пишних декорацій, притаманних тогочасній портретній зйомці, надаючи перевагу природному світлу та зосередженню на особистості моделі.

Першопрохідництво в аерофотозйомці

  • У 1858 році Надар став першою людиною, яка зробила аерофотографії з використанням повітряних куль.
  • Він подолав технічні труднощі, пов'язані з проявленням фотопластинок на висоті, винайшовши газонепроникне бавовняне покриття для кошиків своїх повітряних куль.
  • Також став піонером використання штучного освітлення у фотографії, зокрема в паризьких катакомбах.
  • Le Géant: У 1863 році він замовив будівництво масивної кулі під назвою «Le Géant» (Гігант), що надихнуло Жюля Верна на написання роману «П'ять тижнів на повітряній кулі».

Головні досягнення та вплив

  • Портретне мистецтво: Він сфотографував численних видатних діячів, зокрема Віктора Гюго, Шарля Бодлера, Сару Бернар та Гюстава Курбе.
  • Заснував першу у світі службу аеропошти під час облоги Парижа (1870-71 рр.), використовуючи польоти на повітряних кулях.
  • У своїй студії в 1874 році він організував першу виставку імпресіоністів, надавши вирішальну платформу для молодих художників.
  • У 1886 році опублікував те, що вважається першим фотоінтерв'ю з хіміком Мішелем Еженом Шеврелем.

Пізні роки та спадщина

  • З 1895 по 1909 рік перевів свою студію до Марселя.
  • Помер 20 березня 1910 року в Парижі та похований на кладовищі Пер-Лашез.
  • Після його смерті роботу студії продовжив його син, Поль Надар.
  • Quand j’étais photographe: Опублікував мемуари, у яких роздумував про своє життя та творчість, що дають цінне розуміння фотографії XIX століття.
  • Історичне значення: Інноваційні техніки та художнє бачення Надара глибоко вплинули на розвиток фотографії як виду мистецтва. Його портрети залишаються культовими образами паризьких інтелектуальних та мистецьких кіл.

All 261 works by Надар →