The Stratford Bust of Shakespeare

1874

J. Parker Norris writes of the Stratford bust of Shakespeare as follows: "It is colored in imitation of nature. This appears very odd to us in these days, who are accustomed to seeing statues generally cut from pure white marble; but in olden times it was quite common. In 1748, the colors being then indistinct, it was faithfully restored by a Stratford artist. The expense was covered by the proceeds of a performance given by John Ward, who was the grandfather to the great Mrs. Siddons. "Othello" was performed for this purpose on September 9, 1746, at the Town Hall, at Stratford. This was a judicious restoration, and quite different from its next fate. In 1793, Edmund Malone, the celebrated Shakespearian editor, caused the bust to be daubed all over with white paint, to suit his classic ideas. What was a very valuable and interesting relic of old times — portraying as the colors did the probable appearance of Shakespeare — was thus temporarily destroyed by Malone. It was reserved for the more correct taste of later times to remove Mr. Malone's white paint. This was skillfully done, and it is now said by many to exactly resemble the state in which it was left by John Hall, the artist who restored the monument in 1748. Such is the eventful history of this famous bust. We sincerely trust that it will be left alone for the future, to remain for all time the most authentic representation of him

"——whose remembrance yet
Lives in men's eyes, and will to ears and tongues
Be theme and hearing ever...

"Much has been written about the fat, stolid, and sensual appearance of the bust, and it has been said to resemble an English farmer more than what one would suppose the great poet looked like. It has been abused by some and praised too much by others. With all this we have nothing to do. It is undoubtedly the only correct likeness of Shakespeare, and as such will always command the attention and have the respect of those who prefer authentic to ideal likenesses. To us there is something very noble about the upper part of the head. It is only the lower part that one could wish had been different. Still great men will grow fat as well as others, and there is nothing that we can see to prevent the supposition that Shakespeare was only a man — although he was undoubtedly one of the greatest, if not the greatest, that ever lived."