William Shakespeare

Sitterback to top

• William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Dramatist and poet. Sitter associated with 92 portraits.

Artistback to top

• John Taylor (died 1651), Painter. Artist associated with 11 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This is the only portrait of him that has any claim to have been painted from life. It may be by a painter called John Taylor who was an important member of the Painter-Stainers' Company. The portrait is known as the 'Chandos portrait' after a previous owner. It was the first portrait to be acquired by the Gallery in 1856.

Related worksback to top

• NPG D40739: William Shakespeare (source portrait)
• NPG D40740: William Shakespeare (source portrait)
• NPG D40741: William Shakespeare (source portrait)
• NPG D40742: William Shakespeare (source portrait)
• NPG D40744: William Shakespeare (source portrait)
• NPG D19482: William Shakespeare (source portrait)
• NPG D41643: William Shakespeare (source portrait)

Linked publicationsback to top

• Audio Guide
• Tudor Portraits Resource Pack, p. 38
• I-Spy National Portrait Gallery, 2010, p. 16
• Clare Gittings, The National Portrait Gallery Book of Elizabeth I, 2006, p. 29
• Cooper, John, Great Britons: The Great Debate, 2002, p. 49
• Cooper, John, Visitor's Guide, 2000, p. 26
• Cooper, John, A Guide to the National Portrait Gallery, 2009, p. 18
• Cooper, Tarnya, Searching for Shakespeare (hardback), 2006 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 2 March - 29 May 2006), p. 53
• Cooper, Tarnya, Searching for Shakespeare, 2006 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 2 March - 29 May 2006), p. 53
• Gittings, Clare, The National Portrait Gallery Book of The Tudors, 2006, p. 26
• Hulme, Graham; Buchanan, Brian; Powell, Kenneth, The National Portrait Gallery: An Architectural History, 2000, p. 24
• John Cooper, National Portrait Gallery Visitor's Guide, 2006, p. 26
• MacLeod, Catharine, Tudor Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery Collection, 1996, p. 38
• Motion, Andrew (edited), Interrupted Lives: In Literature, 2004, p. 16
• Nicholl, Charles, Character Sketches: Elizabethan Writers, 1997, p. 12
• Nicholl, Charles, Insights: Shakespeare and His Contemporaries, 2005, p. 32
• Parris, Matthew, Heroes and Villains: Scarfe at the National Portrait Gallery, 2003 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 30 September 2003 to 4 April 2004), p. 120
• Piper, David, The English Face, 1992, p. 58
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: An Illustrated Guide, 2000, p. 51
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 50
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 558
• Simon, Jacob, The Art of the Picture Frame: Artists, Patrons and the Framing of Portraits in Britain, 1997 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 8 November 1996 - 9 February 1997), p. 28

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Shakespeare and his Circle (4 October 2008 - 1 June 2009)
• Searching for Shakespeare (2 March 2006 - 29 May 2006)

Subjects & Themesback to top

• Jewellery
• On display at the Gallery