National Portrait Gallery - Person

Charles Kemble (1775-1854), Actor, theatre manager and playwright

Sitter associated with 30 portraits
The actor and theatre manager Charles Kemble conducted his career in the shadow of his acclaimed brother John Philip Kemble, and his legendary sister Sarah Siddons. He made his debut in the supporting role of Malcolm to his brother's Macbeth at Drury Lane in 1794. Unlike his siblings he acted in comedies as well as tragedies. He managed Covent Garden Theatre between 1822 and 1832; a difficult period when its best members, including the singer Catherine Stephens, were defecting to Drury Lane. Kemble's spectacular production of The Tempest (1842) caused a sensation when he used a real ship in the storm scene.

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Charles Kemble

by Henry Perronet Briggs
oil on canvas, 1830s
On display in Room 19 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 5687

Charles Kemble as Abelard

after Unknown artist
mezzotint, early 19th century
NPG D3393

'Theatrical mendicants, relieved'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 15 January 1809
NPG D12915

Charles Kemble as Cromwell in Henry VIII

by Thomas Goff Lupton, published by William Cribb, after George Henry Harlow
mezzotint, published 1 February 1819
NPG D36815

Charles Kemble as Faulconbridge

by Thomas Woolnoth, after Thomas Charles Wageman, published by Simpkin and Marshall
stipple engraving, Published 1819
NPG D38691

'Mr C Kemble as Charles Surface' (Charles Kemble)

by and published by Richard Dighton
hand-coloured etching, published 1821
NPG D13524

Cecilia Combe (née Siddons); Sarah Siddons (née Kemble); Sarah Siddons (née Kemble); George John Siddons; Charles Kemble

by Richard James Lane, published by Joseph Dickinson, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, published May 1830
NPG D21827

Charles Kemble

by Richard James Lane, printed by Charles Joseph Hullmandel, published by Joseph Dickinson, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
lithograph, May 1830 (1805)
NPG D22400

Charles Kemble as Cassio in 'Othello'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon
hand-coloured lithograph, published 1 December 1838
NPG D22072

Title page (Charles Kemble)

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle
lithograph, published 1840
NPG D22322

Charles Kemble as Hamlet

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22324

Charles Kemble as Falstaff in 'Henry IV'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22325

Charles Kemble as Benedick in 'Much Ado about Nothing'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22326

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
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22327

Charles Kemble as Mark Anthony in 'Julius Caesar'

by Richard James Lane, printed by M & N Hanhart, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22328

Charles Kemble as Mercutio in 'Romeo and Juliet'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22329

Charles Kemble as Macduff in 'Macbeth'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22330

Charles Kemble as Macbeth

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22331

Charles Kemble as Othello

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published June 1840
NPG D22332

Charles Kemble as Cassio in 'Othello'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22333

Charles Kemble as Iago in 'Othello'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22334

Charles Kemble as Don Felix in 'The Wonder'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22338

Subscription page

by Richard James Lane, printed by R. Martin, published by Colnaghi and Puckle
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22339

Charles Kemble as Faulconbridge in 'King John'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22323

Charles Kemble as The Stranger

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22335

Charles Kemble as Leon in 'Rule a Wife, and have a Wife'

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840
NPG D22336

Charles Kemble

by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published May 1840 (January 1840)
NPG D22337