William Shakespeare
(1564 - 1616)

To end this Shakespearean month lets have a look at some portraits of the bard:
 

The Chandos portrait is the most famous of the portraits that are believed to depict William Shakespeare . Painted between 1600 and 1610, it may have served as the basis for the engraved portrait of Shakespeare used in the First Folio in 1623. It is named after the 3rd Duke of Chandos, who formerly owned the painting. The portrait was given to the National Portrait Gallery, London on its foundation in 1856, and it is listed as the first work in its collection.

Portrait of William Shakespeare
1610
Oil on canvas
55,2 x 43,8 cm
National Portrait Gallery
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw11574

This was long thought to be the only portrait of William Shakespeare that had any claim to have been painted from life, until another possible life portrait, the Cobbe portrait, was revealed in 2009. The portrait is known as the 'Chandos portrait' after a previous owner, James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos. It was the first portrait to be acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in 1856. The artist may be by a painter called John Taylor who was an important member of the Painter-Stainers' Company.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Taylor_(painter)

 

 The Cobbe portrait is an early Jacobean panel painting of a gentleman which has been argued to be a life portrait of William Shakespeare. It is displayed at Hatchlands Park in Surrey, a National Trust property, and the portrait is so-called because of its ownership by Charles Cobbe, Church of Ireland (Anglican) Archbishop of Dublin (1686–1765). There are numerous early copies of the painting, most of which were once identified as Shakespeare.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobbe_portrait

The Cobbe Portrait of William Shakespeare (1564–1616) by an unknown artist
C. 1610
Oil on panel
54 x 38 cm
National Trust, Hatchlands

Martin Droeshout
(1601 – c.1650)
 

Martin Droeshout was an English engraver of Flemish descent, who is best known as illustrator of the title portrait for William Shakespeare's collected works, the First Folio of 1623, edited by John Heminges and Henry Condell, fellow actors of the Bard. Nevertheless, Droeshout produced other more ambitious designs in his career.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Droeshout

The Droeshout portrait of William Shakespeare as it appears on the title page of the first folio. 

This is the final, or second state, of the engraving.
1623
Engraving
34 x 22,5 cm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droeshout_portrait

John Gilbert (painter)
(1817 - 1897)

Sir John Gilbert RA was an English artist, illustrator and engraver. Gilbert was born in Blackheath, Surrey, and taught himself to paint. His only formal instruction was from George Lance. Skilled in several media, Gilbert gained the nickname, "the Scott of painting". He was best known for the illustrations and wood-engravings he produced for the Illustrated London News.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gilbert_(painter)

The Plays of William Shakespeare
circa 1849
105 x 127 cm
Dahesh Museum of Art, N.Y.
https://www.daheshmuseum.org/portfolio/john-gilbertthe-plays-of-william-shakespeare/#.ZE0D2XZBwW8

 James_Northcote
(1746 - 1831)
 

James Northcote RA was a British painter born in Plymouth, and was apprenticed to his father, Samuel Northcote, a watchmaker. In his spare time, he drew and painted. In 1769 he left his father's work and set up as a portrait painter. Four years later he went to London and was admitted as a pupil into the studio and house of Sir Joshua Reynolds. At the same time he attended the Royal Academy schools.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Northcote

The Entry of Richard and Bolingbroke into London
1793
oil on canvas.
303 x 394 cm.
Royal Albert Memorial Museum

 Henry Richter

(1772 - 1857)

 

Henry James Richter RA artist and philosopher, was born in Middlesex, possibly at 40 Great Newport Street, Soho, on 8 March 1772 and baptised at St Anne's Church, Soho, on 5 April at that same year. In about 1787, he began instruction under the artist Thomas Stothard, with whom he remained a close friend. He also began an association with William Blake. In 1788 he produced his first illustrations (to Shakespeare's plays), and first exhibited paintings, showing two landscapes at the Royal Academy, where he exhibited for many years. He became a student of the Royal Academy Schools in 1790, and reportedly studied anatomy.

A Comedy of Errors, Two Dromios

1829

Watercolour

43 x 33 cm

Folger Shakespeare Library

 John Opie

(1761 - 1807)

John Opie RA was an English historical and portrait painter. He painted many great men and women of his day, including members of the British Royal Family, and others who were notable in the artistic and literary professions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Opie

Portrait of a Lady in the Character of Cressida (from Troilus and Cressida)

Date before 1800

Oil on canvas

233 x 144 cm

Tate

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/opie-portrait-of-a-lady-in-the-character-of-cressida-n01026

 Robert Smirke
(1753 - 1845)
 

Robert Smirke RA was an English painter and illustrator, specialising in small paintings showing subjects taken from literature. He was a member of the Royal Academy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Smirke_(painter)

'Measure for Measure', 

Act II, Scene 1, the Examination of Froth and Clown by Escalus and Justice 

(from the Boydell series)
Before 1798
Oil on canvas
156 x 220 cm
Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Measure for Measure
Engraving by Various artists/makers (Thomas Ryder I (British, 1746–1810) & Charles Gauthier Playter (British, before 1786–1809)
44.5 x 59.4 cm
The MET
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/365587

Alfred Elmore
(1815 - 1881)
 

Alfred Elmore RA was a British history and genre painter. Born in Clonakilty, Ireland, the son of John Richard Elmore, a surgeon who retired from the British Army to Clonakilty. His family moved to London, where Elmore studied at the Royal Academy of Arts. His early works were in the troubadour style of Richard Parkes Bonington, but he soon graduated to religious work, notably The Martyrdom of Thomas à Becket, commissioned by Daniel O'Connell for Westland Row Church in Dublin. Between 1840 and 1844 Elmore travelled across Europe, visiting Munich, Venice, Bologna, and Florence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Elmore

Two Gentlemen of Verona
1857
Oil on canvas
70 x 53,9
Royal Academy of Arts, London
https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/subject-from-two-gentlemen-of-verona

Valentine kissing Silvia's hand, mistakenly thinking that the Duke sleeps. The old man sits there, head slumped, feigning sleep, but all the time keeping a watchful eye. Elmore thus depicts a scene we do not actually see on the stage.