Edmund Kean as Richard III
- Artist: Unknown artist
- Date: 1814
- Medium: stipple
- Dimensions: Long Term Loan
- Portrays: Edmund Kean
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is “Edmund Kean as Richard III,” a stipple portrait dated 1814 or earlier. The canvas shows the actor in full character, his head crowned by a regal hat and rich head‑attire. Fine stippling adds texture to his face and to the chains of livery that dangle from his neck – small, delicate dots bring out every subtle line. Behind him a horse suggests the royal mount often present at coronations, while the background contains faint lettering that names the sitter’s role.
The painting exemplifies early‑nineteenth‑century portrait technique: a meticulous dotting method that gives depth without heavy brushwork. Though the artist remains unnamed, the work feels like a polished stage set turned into a canvas, capturing both theatricality and courtly grace.
See it in person
Edmund Kean as Richard III is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
