In Character: Shakespeare's 'Othello'

Portraits of actors and actresses portraying characters from Shakespeare's 'Othello'.

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Edwin Booth as Othello, by Bernard Partridge, early 1880s, NPG D40, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Edwin Booth as Othello, by Bernard Partridge, early 1880s
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William Charles Macready as Othello, published by John Tallis & Company, after H. Tracey, circa 1820-1850, NPG D5199, © National Portrait Gallery, London
William Charles Macready as Othello, published by John Tallis & Company, after H. Tracey, circa 1820-1850
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'Othello', by William Say, after Henri Jean-Baptiste Victoire Fradelle, circa 1825-1834, NPG D11374, © National Portrait Gallery, London
'Othello', by William Say, after Henri Jean-Baptiste Victoire Fradelle, circa 1825-1834
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Edmund Kean as Othello, by and published by John William Gear, early 19th century, NPG D21258, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Edmund Kean as Othello, by and published by John William Gear, early 19th century
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Charles Kemble as Othello, by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published June 1840, NPG D22332, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Charles Kemble as Othello, by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published June 1840
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Othello (Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux; William Draper Best, 1st Baron Wynford (represented by his crutch)), by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by Alfred Ducôte, published by Thomas McLean, published 31 May 1834, NPG D41258, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Othello (Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux; William Draper Best, 1st Baron Wynford (represented by his crutch)), by John ('HB') Doyle, printed by Alfred Ducôte, published by Thomas McLean, published 31 May 1834
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Tommaso Salvini ('Men of the Day. No. 104.'), by Carlo Pellegrini, published in Vanity Fair 22 May 1875, NPG D43693, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Tommaso Salvini ('Men of the Day. No. 104.'), by Carlo Pellegrini, published in Vanity Fair 22 May 1875
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Charles Kemble as Cassio in 'Othello', by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published 1 December 1838, NPG D22072, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Charles Kemble as Cassio in 'Othello', by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published 1 December 1838
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Charles Kemble as Cassio in 'Othello', by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published May 1840, NPG D22333, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Charles Kemble as Cassio in 'Othello', by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published May 1840
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Ellen Terry as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Southwell Brothers, 1863, NPG x16990, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Ellen Terry as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Southwell Brothers, 1863
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Lily Brayton as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Rita Martin, published by J. Beagles & Co, 1911, NPG x131463, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Lily Brayton as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Rita Martin, published by J. Beagles & Co, 1911
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Lily Brayton as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Rita Martin, published by J. Beagles & Co, 1911, NPG x131464, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Lily Brayton as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Rita Martin, published by J. Beagles & Co, 1911
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Lily Brayton as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Rita Martin, published by The Philco Publishing Co, circa 1907, NPG x131479, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Lily Brayton as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Rita Martin, published by The Philco Publishing Co, circa 1907
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Gertrude Elliott as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, circa 1913, NPG x194358, © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
Gertrude Elliott as Desdemona in 'Othello', by Lizzie Caswall Smith, circa 1913
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Charles Kemble as Iago in 'Othello', by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published May 1840, NPG D22334, © National Portrait Gallery, London
Charles Kemble as Iago in 'Othello', by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon, published May 1840