April 20, 2017 - This is the 'Chandos' portrait of William Shakespeare. Or is it?
We know nothing about what Shakespeare looked like beyond the etching on the First Folio that is well known.
In 1848 Richard (lots of middle names) Grenville , the Second Duke of Buckingham, was broke. So he was having an estate sale. Hundreds of paintings were discovered along with this one. When the Duke was asked about this one he said , "Oh that's Shakespeare ".
That's it. No other authenticity test than that comment. There is some circumstantial evidence that supports this conclusion, but it is scant. It was given to The National Portrait Museum that we visited today and has made its way into lore as the 'Romantic' Shakespeare image complete with a bohemian earring.
We also visited the National Gallery and the treat of the day was sitting in St Martin in the Fields church listening to their chamber orchestra and singers rehearse Bach.
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