Mansion House Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 18th Century.
The World of William Shakespeare
"God has given you one face, and you make yourself another." William Shakespeare, Hamlet
What did Shakespeare look like? Only two portraits of him were produced in his lifetime by contemporaries, which have been repeatly reworked throughout the centuries.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and was baptised a few days later on 26 April 1564. In Shakespeare's youth, Stratford was often visited by travelling troupes of professional actors. It is said that these players may have sparked his interest in the stage.
ABOUT GERARD SOEST
Gerard Soest (circa 1600 – 11 February 1681), also known as Gerald Soest, was a portrait painter who was active in England during the late 17th century. He is most famous for his portraits of William Shakespeare and Samuel Butler, but painted many members of the English gentry.
Soest was traditionally thought to have come from Soest, Germany in Westphalia, but was probably from Soest, Netherlands, being Dutch by birth and training. He seems to have been in England by the late 1640s, and his paintings at this time show the influence of William Dobson. His earliest known work is dated 1646.
He had a moderately successful career, but was never fashionable and never managed to get commissions from courtiers and royalty.
Soest's portrait of Shakespeare was owned by Thomas Wright of Covent Garden in 1725 when it was engraved by John Simon. It was painted by Soest at least 30 years after Shakespeare's death. George Vertue states that it was based on a man who resembled Shakespeare, while the pose and costume suggest the influence of the Chandos portrait shown within our images.
CONDITION
This fine portrait is on unlined original canvas and has two small early repair patches and shows a stencilled number 15 upper verso added by an auction house.
The portrait has been restored in the past,probably during the late 19thc which includes old re-stretchering with large corner continental cross braces added and bears an ink stamped address on the wooden top stretcher stating 6 Rue Dumas Le Mans in France.
There is slight minor craquelure above sitters head area (no paint cracking), but not very noticeable and minor.
The frame is a later 19thc plaster and gilt mounded example on wood.
The portrait is ready to hang and requires no further work and in our opinion is an 8/10 re condition relevant to the age.
MEASUREMENTS (Including Frame)
Height 30 Inches
Width 26 Inches
SEE LAST TWO IMAGES OF SHAKESPEARE PAINTED BY GERALD SOEST
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Mansion House Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 18th Century.
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Reserved 18thc Oil Portrait Depiction of William Shakespeare After Gerard Soest (1600-1681) Fine Paintings,dutch Genre Figurative Art, Flemish,shakespeare's Hamlet,fine Art
