Items
Details
Title
The Cosway portrait of Shakespeare [graphic].
Created/published
Probably late eighteenth century.
Description
1 painting on circular panel : oil ; 7 1/2 in. diameter.
Associated name
Cosway, Richard, 1740-1821, associated name.
Material base
wood
Note
Title from Pressly.
Not the picture owned by Cosway described by Boaden, Wivell, and Friswell. Possibly the one Wivell mentions as "There is in the possession of Mr. Booth, Bookseller, a small copy, in oil, by Mr. Cosway from the above picture, or print, which was purchased at his sale for nearly the sum of twenty pounds. The artist has taken some liberties, one in particular, by making the out-line of the nose quite straight." (Pressly, page 306).
Printed label on back, removed to curatorial file April 2003: This portrait is one of the most charming representations of our Great Dramatist--it is believed to be by an Italian artist. It is called the Cosway Portrait as it came from the celebrated collection made by [Richard] Cosway, the Royal Academician, in Stratford Place, and was sold at his sale, which took place soon after his death in 1821; it was bought by my late uncle and has been in our family ever since. It was exhibited at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1864, and is mentioned in Wivel's Portraits of Shakespeare, published about 50 years [sic], and in Hain Friswell's Life Portraits of Shakespeare, published in 1864. Painted on circular panel, 7 1/2 inches diamaeter, mounted in an octagonal Ebony frame, glazed front. [Pressly, p. 306: The source of this text has not yet been found, and the information is suspect].
Not the picture owned by Cosway described by Boaden, Wivell, and Friswell. Possibly the one Wivell mentions as "There is in the possession of Mr. Booth, Bookseller, a small copy, in oil, by Mr. Cosway from the above picture, or print, which was purchased at his sale for nearly the sum of twenty pounds. The artist has taken some liberties, one in particular, by making the out-line of the nose quite straight." (Pressly, page 306).
Printed label on back, removed to curatorial file April 2003: This portrait is one of the most charming representations of our Great Dramatist--it is believed to be by an Italian artist. It is called the Cosway Portrait as it came from the celebrated collection made by [Richard] Cosway, the Royal Academician, in Stratford Place, and was sold at his sale, which took place soon after his death in 1821; it was bought by my late uncle and has been in our family ever since. It was exhibited at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1864, and is mentioned in Wivel's Portraits of Shakespeare, published about 50 years [sic], and in Hain Friswell's Life Portraits of Shakespeare, published in 1864. Painted on circular panel, 7 1/2 inches diamaeter, mounted in an octagonal Ebony frame, glazed front. [Pressly, p. 306: The source of this text has not yet been found, and the information is suspect].
Source of acquisition
Augustin Daly sale, American Art Galleries, affiliated with American Art Association, Madison Square South, New York, and Madison Ave., 56th to 57th streets, 19 March 1900, lot 723, bought by Folger, Wells acting as agent.
Exhibited
Exhibited: Said to have been exhibited at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1864, but this cannot be confirmed, as the entries in the Tercentenary catalogue are too summary to make a positive identification possible; exhibited in the Folger Tea Room Oct. 1, 2001-March 29, 2002; exhibited in "The Folgers Our Founders" in the Folger Founders' room May 30 to September 29, 2013.
Cited/described in
Pressly, W.L. Paintings in the Folger Shakespeare Library, 168
Piper, David. Notes of Shakespeare Portraits at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, made November 1962 [typescript], no. 21
Piper, David. Notes of Shakespeare Portraits at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, made November 1962 [typescript], no. 21
Linked resources
Blog post about Folger Shakespeare Library FPs4: "Conserving the Cosway Portrait of Shakespeare", The Collation (16 October 2013)
Genre/form
Portrait paintings.
Item Details
Call number
FPs4 (aisle 184 endcap)
Folger-specific note
This record contains unverified data from a re-keying contract and may contain incorrect or incomplete text. Please consult Curator for assistance.