Benjamin Haydon

Benjamin Robert Haydon
Self-portrait, c. 1845. National Portrait Gallery, London.
Born
Benjamin Robert Haydon

(1786-01-26)26 January 1786
Plymouth, Devon, England
Died22 June 1846(1846-06-22) (aged 60)
Paddington, London, England
OccupationPainter
Children3
Signature

Benjamin Robert Haydon (/ˈhdən/; 26 January 1786 – 22 June 1846) was a British painter who specialised in grand historical pictures, although he also painted a few contemporary subjects and portraits. His commercial success was damaged by his often tactless dealings with patrons, and by the enormous scale on which he preferred to work. He was troubled by financial problems throughout his life, which led to several periods of imprisonment for debt. He died by suicide in 1846.

He gave lectures on art, and kept extensive diaries that were published after his death.