Later Stuart Portraits Catalogue

Thomas Betterton (1635-1710), Actor and dramatist

Actor, theatre manager and Shakespearean editor; joined Davenant’s Duke’s Co. from 1660, at Dorset Garden 1671-1709, playing a wide range of Shakespearean roles; a manager of the combined King’s and Duke’s Companies 1682-87; played at The Haymarket 1705; several plays are attributed to him and he researched the life of Shakespeare; Cibber considered him ‘without Competitors’.

‘[He] labour’d under an ill Figure, being clumsily made, having a great Head, a short thick Neck, stoop’d Shoulders, and had fat short Arms. … He had little Eyes, and a broad Face, a little Pock-fretten, a corpulent Body, and thick Legs, with large Feet … his Aspect was serious, venerable, and majestic; in his later Time a little paralytic’ (Anthony Aston).

‘the person of this excellent actor was suitable to his voice, more manly than sweet, not exceeding the middle stature, inclining to the corpulent; of a serious and penetrating aspect; his limbs nearer the athletic than the delicate proportion’ (Colley Cibber).


This extended catalogue entry is from the National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Later Stuart Portraits 1685-1714, National Portrait Gallery, 2009, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.