Richard Dadd is known for his stunning depictions of magic and fairies. He was already a skilled artist when in 1842 he set out from England to visit Turkey, Syria, and Egypt. As noted by The Guardian, while he was away, Dadd began experiencing symptoms of an unknown condition that caused him to have delusions.
As described in “The Late Richard Dadd, 1817-1886,” the symptoms were first noticed while Dadd was in Egypt, but the illness was initially dismissed as sunstroke. On his way back to England, however, the condition worsened, and Dadd began suffering terrifying delusions. He believed that spirits were conspiring against him, and taking the form of other people to deceive him. By the time he arrived home, he believed that he was surrounded by violent spirits and attacked by the devil. He created art that was increasingly strange and violent.
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Still, his father, with whom Dadd had always shared a close and loving relationship, cared for him himself, even as his condition worsened. Tragically, Dadd killed his father, believing that he had been possessed by a demonic force. As noted by The Guardian, Dadd spent the rest of his life in asylums, including Bedlam. While being treated there, Dadd continued to paint. His work became fantastical, dreamlike, and utterly different from the work of his contemporaries.
