Later works.2C misidentifications.2C and fakes Portraits of Shakespeare

the ashbourne portrait reproduced in 19th century shakespeare, has been since identified hugh hamersley

by mid-18th century demand portraits of shakespeare led several claims regarding surviving 17th-century paintings, of altered make them conform more closely shakespeare s features. janssen portrait overpainted, receding hairline , adding inscription age , date fit shakespeare s life. done before 1770, making earliest proven example of genuine portrait altered shakespeare. in 1792 painting came known felton portrait appeared @ auction, name of shakespeare on , initials r.b., taken of richard burbage. 18th century shakespeare scholar george steevens supported authenticity of work, similar droeshout engraving.

a painting called ashbourne portrait identified portrayal of shakespeare in 1847, , hangs in folger shakespeare library. painting reproduced shakespeare in mid-19th century mezzotint g.f. storm. in 1940 charles wisner barrell examined portrait using x-ray , infra-red photography, rubbings of concealed paint on sitter s thumb ring, , concluded painting retouched portrait of edward de vere, 17th earl of oxford, painted cornelius ketel. in 1979, painting restored, , coat of arms uncovered identified sitter hugh hamersley. restoration revealed portrait had been retouched have hairline recede, while inscribed age had been altered 1 year , hamersley s coat of arms had been painted over. nevertheless, oxfordians continue support de vere identification, claiming fashions worn sitter date painting 1580 when hamersley have been 15.

another example flower portrait, named owner, sir desmond flower, donated shakespeare museum in 1911. once thought earliest painting depicting shakespeare, , model droeshout engraving. shown in 2005 national portrait gallery investigation 19th-century fake adapted engraving. image of shakespeare painted on authentic 16th-century painting of madonna , child.

a detail of henry wallis s 1857 painting depicting gerard johnson carving stratford monument, while ben jonson shows him kesselstadt death mask

in 1849 death mask made public german artist, ludwig becker, linked painting which, claimed, depicted shakespeare , resembled mask. mask, known kesselstadt death mask given publicity when declared authentic scientist richard owen, claimed stratford memorial based on it. artist henry wallis painted picture depicting sculptor working on monument while looking @ mask. sculptor lord ronald gower believed in authenticity of mask. when created large public shakespeare statue in stratford in 1888, based facial features on it. attempted buy nation. mask believed fake, though authenticity claim revived in 1998.

kauffmann s ideal portrait of shakespeare

other artists created new portraits designed portray shakespeare intellectual hero. angelica kauffman s ideal portrait of shakespeare based on vertue s frontispiece alexander pope s edition of shakespeare s works, in turn bases on so-called welbeck abbey miniature unknown author. below portrait symbolic figure of fame adorning shakespeare s tomb. in 1849 ford madox brown adapted various images, including ashbourne hamersley, create synthetic portrayal believed authentic depiction possible. showed shakespeare commanding figure in richly decorated room. on desk books representing shakespeare s sources, including works of boccaccio , chaucer. in similar vein, john faed depicted shakespeare @ centre of gathering of scholars , writers in painting shakespeare , friends @ mermaid tavern (1850).