A finely executed Staffordshire pottery bust of William Shakespeare, dating to the early 19th century, circa 1800. Made of glazed earthenware with hand-painted polychrome decoration in shades of ochre, plum, and cream, the figure is mounted on a faux-marble rectangular base with typical period craquelure. The portrait is based on the well-known Chandos likeness, attributed to John Taylor and believed to have been painted from life circa 1610. This depiction became the canonical image of Shakespeare and was frequently reproduced in ceramic form during the Georgian and early Victorian periods. This bust dates to around 1800 and represents one of the earliest known ceramic versions of Shakespeare. Later copies were produced in larger...