Shakespeare comes home!

THE world famous Chandos portrait of William Shakespeare — which is thought by some to be the only portrait of the playwright painted from life — has arrived in Stratford for the first time.

It will be on display from tomorrow, Saturday, 22nd October, until 18th December in the Swan wing of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as part of the RSC’s visitor attraction called The Play’s the Thing.

The painting is on loan from the National Portrait Gallery in London where it has been since the institution was founded in 1856.

It was the first portrait to be acquired by the National Portrait Gallery and it came from Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere. It gets its name from a previous owner, the Duke of Chandos.

It is in a fragile condition and rarely leaves London, though it was on display in Moscow in spring and summer this year and went to Washington in 2007.

This week an RSC spokesman told the Herald that during its stay in Stratford the portrait would be “continually guarded”.

CLICK HERE for more on The Play's The Thing Exhibition