Ira Aldridge
- Artist: James Northcote
- Date: circa 1826
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 30 in. x 24 7/8 in. (763 mm x 632 mm)
- Portrays: Ira Frederick Aldridge
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
In this painting you’ll see Ira Aldridge – the American actor who made history as the first black performer to play Othello on a British stage. The canvas, about 30 by 25 inches, is painted in oils, typical of early‑nineteenth‑century portraiture. Northcote’s brushwork gives his face soft yet confident, with subtle shading that hints at depth behind a plain background.
Aldridge stands in his costume as Othello: a dark cloak and ruffled collar frame him, while the light catches on his face to reveal the actor’s gaze toward the viewer. The paint layers are visible – small strokes of pigment build up texture, especially in his clothing and hands, which he holds slightly raised, like a stage pose.
Created about 1826 as a copy of Northcote’s original, this portrait is thought to depict Aldridge at his Manchester Othello performance. He would later make his West‑End debut in 1833, but critics were still shocked by his presence on the London stage. This work captures both his role and his moment of triumph on canvas.
See it in person
Ira Aldridge 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.
