In Character: Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice'

Portraits of actors and actresses portraying characters from Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice'.

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Sir Henry Irving as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Edward Lyddell Sawyer, 1879, NPG Ax7706, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir Henry Irving as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Edward Lyddell Sawyer, 1879
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Sir Henry Irving as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Edward Lyddell Sawyer, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, published after 1901 (1879), NPG Ax137399, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir Henry Irving as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Edward Lyddell Sawyer, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, published after 1901 (1879)
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Charles Kemble as Shylock in 'Merchant of Venice', by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published May 1840, NPG D22327, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Charles Kemble as Shylock in 'Merchant of Venice', by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published May 1840
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Arthur Bourchier as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Alexander Corbett, for Alfred Ellis & Walery, published by J. Beagles & Co, 1905, NPG x1189, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Arthur Bourchier as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Alexander Corbett, for Alfred Ellis & Walery, published by J. Beagles & Co, 1905
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Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, 1879; published 1900s, NPG x16989, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, 1879; published 1900s
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Sir Henry Irving as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Virtue & Co, after Edward Lyddell Sawyer, 1879, NPG x17924, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir Henry Irving as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Virtue & Co, after Edward Lyddell Sawyer, 1879
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Frank Benson as 'Shylock' in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Alexander Bassano, circa 1885, NPG x96406, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Frank Benson as 'Shylock' in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Alexander Bassano, circa 1885
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Frank Benson as 'Shylock' in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Alexander Bassano, circa 1885, NPG x96408, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Frank Benson as 'Shylock' in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Alexander Bassano, circa 1885
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Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, circa 1906, NPG x196352, © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, circa 1906
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Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Davidson Brothers, circa 1906, NPG x196353, © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Davidson Brothers, circa 1906
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Gertrude Elliott as Portia and Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, circa 1906, NPG x196355, © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
Gertrude Elliott as Portia and Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, circa 1906
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Gertrude Elliott as Portia and Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Angus Thomas Ltd, circa 1906, NPG x196356, © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
Gertrude Elliott as Portia and Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Angus Thomas Ltd, circa 1906
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Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, 1879, NPG x16988, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, 1879
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Gertrude Elliott as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, circa 1906, NPG x196354, © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
Gertrude Elliott as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, circa 1906
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Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, published by J. Beagles & Co, 1879; published 1900s, NPG x197943, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, published by J. Beagles & Co, 1879; published 1900s
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Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, 1879, NPG Ax7705, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, 1879
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Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, 1879, published 1906, NPG Ax131302, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Ellen Terry as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Window & Grove, 1879, published 1906
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Lady Beatrice Frances Elizabeth Pole-Carew (née Butler) as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lallie Charles, published by Hudson & Kearns Ltd, 20 June 1911, published 1912, NPG Ax135791, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Lady Beatrice Frances Elizabeth Pole-Carew (née Butler) as Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Lallie Charles, published by Hudson & Kearns Ltd, 20 June 1911, published 1912
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Sarah West (née Cooke) as Portia in Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Charles Wageman, published by John Cumberland, after Thomas Woolnoth, published 1826, NPG D38552, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Sarah West (née Cooke) as Portia in Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Charles Wageman, published by John Cumberland, after Thomas Woolnoth, published 1826
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Eveleen Myers (née Tennant) as Jessica with Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Unknown photographer, 1874, NPG Ax132833, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Eveleen Myers (née Tennant) as Jessica with Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Unknown photographer, 1874
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Eveleen Myers (née Tennant) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Unknown photographer, 1874, NPG Ax68342, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Eveleen Myers (née Tennant) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Unknown photographer, 1874
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Mary Ann Povey (Mrs Knight) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Woolnoth, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published 1820, NPG D8498, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Mary Ann Povey (Mrs Knight) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Woolnoth, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published 1820
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Mary Ann Povey (Mrs Knight) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Woolnoth, published by Simpkin and Marshall, published by Clement Chapple, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published 1820, NPG D8500, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Mary Ann Povey (Mrs Knight) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Woolnoth, published by Simpkin and Marshall, published by Clement Chapple, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published 1820
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Mary Ann Povey (Mrs Knight) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Woolnoth, published by Simpkin and Marshall, published by Clement Chapple, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published 1820, NPG D8501, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Mary Ann Povey (Mrs Knight) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Woolnoth, published by Simpkin and Marshall, published by Clement Chapple, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published 1820
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Mary Ann Povey (Mrs Knight) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Woolnoth, published by Simpkin and Marshall, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published 1820, NPG D38662, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Mary Ann Povey (Mrs Knight) as Jessica in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Thomas Woolnoth, published by Simpkin and Marshall, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published 1820
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Lord Colum Edmund Crichton-Stuart as Salario in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Robert Faulkner & Co, published by Hudson & Kearns Ltd, 20 June 1911, published 1912, NPG Ax135788, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Lord Colum Edmund Crichton-Stuart as Salario in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Robert Faulkner & Co, published by Hudson & Kearns Ltd, 20 June 1911, published 1912
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Harry A. Perry as Antonio in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Salucci, after C.H., mid 19th century, NPG D21560, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Harry A. Perry as Antonio in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Salucci, after C.H., mid 19th century
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Lady Gwendeline Theresa Mary Spencer Churchill (née Bertie) as Attendant on Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Langfier Ltd, published by Hudson & Kearns Ltd, 20 June 1911, published 1912, NPG Ax135789, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Lady Gwendeline Theresa Mary Spencer Churchill (née Bertie) as Attendant on Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Langfier Ltd, published by Hudson & Kearns Ltd, 20 June 1911, published 1912
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Sir George Alexander (George Samson) as Bassanio in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Benjamin Joseph Falk, published by David Bogue, published 1 April 1885, NPG Ax29203, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir George Alexander (George Samson) as Bassanio in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Benjamin Joseph Falk, published by David Bogue, published 1 April 1885
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Sir George Alexander (George Samson) as Bassanio in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Benjamin Joseph Falk, published by David Bogue, published 1 April 1885, NPG x5153, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Sir George Alexander (George Samson) as Bassanio in 'The Merchant of Venice', by Benjamin Joseph Falk, published by David Bogue, published 1 April 1885