A window cleaner from Aylesbury has made what could be one of the most significant art discoveries of the century, a portrait that experts believe could be an authentic depiction of William Shakespeare, valued at up to £200 million.
From Family Heirloom to Historic Treasure
Steven Wadlow, the man behind this astonishing find, had long considered the painting a mere family heirloom. The portrait, which features a young man with hair and no beard, has been hanging in his living room for years. “I never really liked it because it felt like the eyes were always watching me, no matter where I was in the house,” Wadlow admitted. The eerie feeling the painting gave him often brought to mind scenes from Scooby-Doo cartoons, where portraits had a habit of being much more than they seemed.
The journey to uncover the painting’s true identity began over a decade ago, spurred by a casual remark from Wadlow’s father. After watching an episode of Time Team featuring Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace, Wadlow’s father noticed a striking resemblance between a painting shown on the programme and the one hanging in their home. “He called me the next day and said, ‘I think the painting in the corner might be Shakespeare,’” Wadlow recounted.
A Long Road to Verification
Intrigued by his father’s observation, Wadlow invited an English and Art lecturer to examine the portrait. The lecturer’s confirmation that the painting could indeed be of Shakespeare launched a 12-year investigation into its origins. During this time, the painting underwent rigorous scientific scrutiny at prestigious art institutions, including the Hamilton Kerr Institute and University College London.
State-of-the-art technology was employed to analyse the painting’s composition. The tests revealed intriguing details, including underdrawings and a mysterious coat of arms, which had been hidden beneath layers of overpainting. These discoveries suggested that efforts had been made to conceal the painting’s true identity over the centuries.
Wadlow admitted that the possibility of the painting being exposed as a fake was a constant worry. “Each test was a pivotal moment,” he said. Yet, to his relief, the portrait passed each examination with flying colours, solidifying its potential as a genuine work from Shakespeare’s era.
Historical Connections and Provenance
The painting’s provenance further bolsters its authenticity. Wadlow’s father purchased the portrait for £900 in the 1960s from art restorers working on the Great Tew estate near Banbury. The estate, now known for its celebrity residents such as the Beckhams and Simon Cowell, was once home to a collection that included a lost portrait of Shakespeare. Art experts believe that this lost portrait served as the model for the earliest engraving of Shakespeare, which appeared in the first folio of his plays printed in 1623.
Wadlow’s portrait shares many characteristics with this lost masterpiece, including being painted in 1595—the year Shakespeare turned 31. “Having the number 31 on the portrait is significant because it matches Shakespeare’s age at the time,” Wadlow noted.
Challenges from the Art Establishment
Despite the compelling evidence, Wadlow faced resistance from the art establishment, particularly over the portrait’s depiction of Shakespeare with hair and no beard—a stark contrast to the widely accepted images of the playwright. “It felt like I was constantly hitting a brick wall because I wasn’t part of the art world’s inner circle,” Wadlow reflected.
The absence of a definitive image of Shakespeare complicates the challenge. The engraving used in the first folio was created by an artist who never met Shakespeare, raising questions about its accuracy. Wadlow became increasingly convinced that his portrait was the model for the engraving, but proving it remained elusive.
A Breakthrough with Modern Technology
Determined to find answers, Wadlow turned to facial recognition technology, which compared his portrait to the first folio engraving. The results indicated a closer match than any other known portraits of Shakespeare.
The breakthrough came when Lumiere Technology, a renowned Paris-based art analysis firm, conducted further tests on the painting. Their multispectral imaging technique, which has been used on works like the Mona Lisa, provided the final piece of evidence. Jean Penicaut, an expert from Lumiere, concluded that the portrait was indeed of Shakespeare, possibly depicting him as an actor in one of his own plays.
Penicaut’s declaration left Wadlow nearly speechless. “After all these years of doubt, hearing that was unbelievable,” he said. “This discovery is going to change my life.”
With the world now aware of this remarkable find, Wadlow’s life is set to be transformed. As interest in the painting grows, offers may soon follow, potentially leading to one of the most significant art transactions in history.
