Chandos portrait

The "Chandos" portrait is one of the most famous portraits believed to depict William Shakespeare (1564-1616). The portrait is named for the Duke of Chandos, who owned the portrait. The portrait is now in National Portrait Gallery, London.

It has not been possible to solve the question of who painted the portrait and whether it really depicts Shakespeare. Some claim that Shakespeare's friend Richard Burbage (1567-1619) painted it and later gave it to Joseph Taylor, also a member of King's Men, but there is also the possibility that Taylor painted it himself.

It is known that the portrait was owned by Shakespeare's godson, William Davenant (1606?1668), before the Duke of Chandos acquired it.