51 F
London

Portrait of Shakespeare said to be painted while Bard was alive goes on display in London

London Forecast

London
scattered clouds
51 ° F
52.8 °
49 °
74 %
7mph
50 %
Sat
51 °
Sun
55 °
Mon
50 °
Tue
52 °
Wed
46 °
USD - United States Dollar
GBP
1.25
EUR
1.08
CAD
0.74
AUD
0.66

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Popular

The Tube: 10 Interesting Facts about the Circle Line

The Circle Line is one of London’s oldest Tube...

London’s Best Christmas Markets and Fairs for 2023

London is a magical place to be during the...

What Makes the Elizabeth Line Different from Other Underground Lines?

If you’ve looked at the London Underground map lately,...

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See in the Tate Modern Art Museum

Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, the Tate...

London and the Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution changed the world forever.  The coming...

Paddington Bear immersive experience to open in London

Paddington Bear has inspired a new large-scale interactive experience...

Londinium: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about Roman London

  Londinium was the Roman name given to the settlement...

Share

A portrait said to be the only signed and dated image of William Shakespeare created during his lifetime has gone on display in London.

Its owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, is offering the piece for sale by private treaty – without an auction – for a figure of more than £10 million.

It is the work of Robert Peake, Sergeant-Painter to King James I, and is signed and dated 1608.

Prior to 1975, the picture hung in the library of a stately home in the north of England, once home to the Danby family. Since then, it has been in private ownership.

William Shakespeare painting unveiled
The painting is signed and dated 1608 (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)

Those behind its sale claim the connections between Shakespeare and Peake are “extensive.”

They say Peake was regularly commissioned to paint the portraits of high-ranking members of the Court and Jacobean society.

They also noted he was commissioned by the Office of the Revels, which oversaw the presentation of plays, and worked in the premises in Clerkenwell, London, where some of Shakespeare’s plays were rehearsed.

However, only two paintings of Shakespeare, both posthumous, are generally recognized as valid – the engraving that appears on the title page of the First Folio, published in 1623, and the sculpture at his funeral monument in Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare died in 1616, at the age of 52.

Art expert Duncan Phillips, who investigated the work ahead of the sale, said: “There is more evidence for this portrait of Shakespeare than any other known painting of the playwright.

William Shakespeare painting unveiled
The painting is in private ownership (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)

“It is a monogrammed and dated work by a portrait painter of serious status with connections to the artist who produced the image for the First Folio.

“The picture has survived the past 400 years almost untouched by wear and tear thanks to its ownership by a family of Shakespeare enthusiasts who hung it in their library.”

However, Shakespeare expert Michael Dobson told the Daily Mail claims the painting is of the Bard are “wishful thinking.”

The painting went on display on Wednesday at Grosvenor House Hotel, London.

Londontopia Staff
Author: Londontopia Staff

This article was submitted and adapted by Londontopia Staff and used with a license from the Press Association UK (PA Media). All images and content used with permission.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here