The Sanders Portrait
| Sanders portrait | |
|---|---|
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| Year | 1603 |
| Type | Oil on oak wood panel |
| Dimensions | 42 cm × 33 cm ( 15 1⁄2 in × 13 in) |
| Location | Private ownership, Ottawa, ON |
The Sanders portrait is reputed to be one of the only images of William Shakespeare done in his lifetime. It features a middle-aged man wearing a black doublet with silver ornamentation. It also has a label affixed to the back which reads:
This label was transcribed in 1909 by Marion Henry Spielmann; today, the original text is not legible.
The Sanders portrait is one of the most researched portraits claimed to depict William Shakespeare (1564–1616). It is named for the man that owned (and perhaps painted) the portrait, John Sanders, whose family has owned the portrait for over 400 years - including a transatlantic voyage that resulted in its presence in Canada.
The portrait’s authenticity as a true likeness of Shakespeare continues to be questioned by critics though supporters point to scientific tests, genealogical research, and historical contexts which date this portrait not only to Shakespeare’s lifetime, but place it as originally painted and owned by a family who lived in the same neighbourhood as William Shakespeare and would have had connections through guild membership with the playwright. The portrait’s presence in Canada, its currently being in the private sphere, and its limited budget for more research and publicity are all factors in the lack of attention shown to the portrait.
Partnering with current owner, Lloyd Sullivan, recent research from the Canadian Adaptations of Shakespeare Project (CASP) at the University of Guelph has sought to return the portrait to the public eye and establish it as the only true likeness of Shakespeare painted in his lifetime.
Extensive genealogical research has been undertaken by CASP researchers and Warwickshire and Worcestershire family historian Pamela Hinks to confirm the oral history of the Sanders family provided by the portrait's current owner, Lloyd Sullivan. This research suggests that the Sanders Portrait is the only likeness of Shakespeare which traces back directly to Shakespeare's lifetime.
The family of Lloyd Sullivan was traced back directly to one John Sanders, Sullivan’s great-grandfather thirteen generations ago. It is believed that either John Sanders or his brother William painted the portrait of Shakespeare in 1603, when the family was living close to Shakespeare’s home in London, a house owned by Christopher and Mary Mountjoy on the corner of Silver Street and Monkwell Street (a. k. a. Muggle Street), in Cripplegate.
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