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Charles John Kean

(1811-1868), Actor and theatre manager; second son of Edmund Kean

Early Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 28 portraits
Determined to become an actor, he made his first appearance at Drury Lane in 1827 as Norval in Home's Douglas, but his failure to achieve popularity led him to leave London the following year for the provinces. His next London appearance was in 1833 as 'Sir Edmund Mortimer' in Colman's The Iron Chest, but his success was still not pronounced enough for him to remain in the capital. In 1838, he returned to Drury Lane, and played Hamlet with a success which placed him among the principal tragedians of his time. In 1850 he became joint lessee of the Princess Theatre. The most noteworthy feature of his management was a series of highly regarded Shakespearean revivals.

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Charles John Kean as Macbeth

by Richard James Lane, printed by M & N Hanhart, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published 1 October 1840
NPG D36753

Charles John Kean as Hamlet

after a daguerreotype by William Paine
line engraving, 1840s?
NPG D3449

Charles John Kean as Macbeth

by Richard James Lane, printed by M & N Hanhart, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published 1 October 1840
NPG D22012

Charles John Kean and Eleanora ('Ellen') Kean (née Tree) as Sir Walter and Lady Amyott in Lovell's 'The Wife's Secrets'

by Richard James Lane, printed by M & N Hanhart, published by John Mitchell, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published 15 April 1848
NPG D36755

Charles John Kean and Eleanora ('Ellen') Kean (née Tree) as Sir Walter and Lady Amyott in Lovell's 'The Wife's Secrets'

by Richard James Lane, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published 1848
NPG D22014

Charles John Kean and Eleanora ('Ellen') Kean (née Tree) as Sir Walter and Lady Amyott in Lovell's 'The Wife's Secrets'

by Richard James Lane, after Alfred Edward Chalon
lithograph, published 1848
NPG D22241

Charles John Kean as Louis XI

by Richard James Lane, published by John Mitchell, after C.S.L.
lithograph, 1855
NPG D22397

Charles John Kean

by A.L. Whitwan
pencil on tracing paper, August 1923
NPG D36757

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Related People

Edmund Kean (father)
Eleanora ('Ellen') Kean (née Tree) (wife)

Groups

Actors and actresses

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Charles John Kean