A British window cleaner, Steven Wadlow, has made headlines by claiming to possess the first-known portrait of William Shakespeare, believed to have been created during the playwright’s lifetime. If authenticated, the painting could be valued at over $264 million.
The artwork, which Wadlow’s father, an antique dealer, purchased from an Oxfordshire estate in the 1960s, has undergone X-ray analysis by art experts who dated it to around 1595. This timing coincides with when Shakespeare would have been 31 years old. The portrait bears a striking resemblance to the only authenticated image of the legendary writer.
Despite the potential significance of the discovery, historians have yet to confirm the painting’s authenticity. Wadlow believes that his working-class background may be a factor in the skepticism surrounding his claim.
The portrait, which had hung in his father’s living room for decades, has become the focal point of Wadlow’s determined efforts to prove its legitimacy. His journey began in 2012 when his father, Peter, now 92, noticed a resemblance between the figure in the painting and Shakespeare while watching a documentary on the playwright.
The portrait’s authentication remains pending, but if proven genuine, it could reshape our understanding of Shakespeare’s image and add a significant chapter to art history.