British journalists doubt that found in the collection of Alex Cobb picture really is a lifetime portrait of the great playwright

Recently, the entire history of the world break china accidentally found lifetime portrait of William Shakespeare . In 2006, the restorer named Alex Cobb (Alex Cobbe) saw at an exhibition in London National Portrait Gallery painting, which turned out to be a copy of the portrait, held in its collections. The product passed through inheritance in the Cobb family, three hundred years, and this time it was thought that it shows the seafarer Sir Walter Reli (Sir Walter Raleigh). But at a copy of it has been reported as «a portrait of Shakespeare», and Cobb had given a picture for examination. Almost three years, experts studied the painting, and here a few days ago, an influential shekspiroved Stanley Wells (Stanley Wells) said that it is the only lifetime portrait of the great playwright.

Professional Studies have shown that the picture was actually created during the life of Shakespeare. They are also able to establish the history of existence of the portrait - it turned out that he may have moved ancestors Cobb great-great-granddaughter of Shakespeare's patron, Earl of Southampton. In addition, the canvas is given a quotation from Horace ody devoted to one playwright. All this gave Wells reason to believe that the portrait depicts exactly Shakespeare.

Almost immediately after the leading media outlets reported the peace breaking news, the media began to appear skeptical remarks. The authors of two very distinguished British blogging, art critic newspaper Charlotte Higgins, Guardian (Charlotte Higgins), and the owner of an online diary Heresy Corner said that the evidence given by Stanley Wells, sounds very, very unconvincing.

Yes, the picture from the collection of Cobb really was written at the beginning of XVII century - with the chemical examination does not argue. But whether it depicts Shakespeare? .. To get started, you need to remember what the experts say about the copy of the painting that he saw Cobb at the National Portrait Gallery. This work, written in the 1610's and known as «Yanssenovsky portrait» (before its author was considered to be a painter Cornelis Janssen (Cornelis Janssen)), is now in Washington, in the collection of Shakespeare Library Foldzherov. A long time, its considered one of the most accurate images of Shakespeare, but in the 1940's it was discovered that she is a so-called «Modified portrait». So initially it was depicted by another person, and in the XVIII century painting «add», so that it resembled in a portrait of the great playwright. In 1988, restorers removed all the items added at a later date by returning its original form. The artist, who gave an unknown male person of XVII century «Shakespearean» features are clearly inspired by the famous engraving by Martin Drushauta (Martin Droeshout), established in 1623. Drushaut drew on the memory of Shakespeare (the playwright died in 1616). It turns out, an unknown artist of XVIII century changed the copy of Shakespeare's lifetime portrait so that it looked like the portrait, which was established in memory even after the death of Shakespeare. Excellent «plot» to work up a postmodern theorist: as a person, rastirazhirovanny in the media, a «real» in the eyes of the people, than what he had really looked.

P «Yanssenovskim portrait» story is very confusing, but what about the other arguments Wells? .. About provenanse picture is known only that she could one of those paintings, which have shifted Cobb great-great-granddaughter of Earl of Southampton. In addition, there is no evidence that the great-great-granddaughter got a cloth from his prapradedushki, but not, for example, I bought it. And what about a quotation from Horace ody «Principum amicitias!», Which adorns the portrait from the collection of Cobb? According to Wells, is dedicated citation playwright, but also no evidence of this, and if there is, then shekspiroved not reported. In any case, it is known that Horace has devoted the phrase Gayu Asiniyu Pollionu, general, historian and poet.

Heresy Corner blog author observed by another interesting detail: in 1610, when, presumably, a portrait of Shakespeare was 46 years old. But the man depicted in the painting, does not look like 46-year-old, in appearance he was not more than thirty. But several hundred years ago people stareli much earlier, and then 46-year-old man appeared at best as today's 60-year-old. In addition, there is ample evidence that Shakespeare suffered from syphilis, and this is certainly reflected in his appearance. However, this argument is not very convincing: it is a portrait customer can ask the artist to write his beautiful, even if in life he was not so attractive. This draws the attention of Yale University Professor David Scott Kestan (David Scott Kastan), which notes that if this is a portrait of Shakespeare (which he doubted), it is very «idealized».

Portrait of a collection Cobb much «glamorous», than other well-known images of Shakespeare. According to Stanley Wells, this indicates that the playwright has held high position in society, and rotated in aristocratic circles, and perhaps even a lover Earl of Southampton. Wells said that if the life of Shakespeare was like in the portrait, he was a real handsome. Interestingly, only recently discovered another «handsome»: early self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci (Leonardo da Vinci) , in which titanium Renaissance, in the words of a journalist found the figure, looks like a film star.

It should be noted that the collection of Alex Cobb unique items are found with an enviable regularity. In 2007, they accidentally found a grand piano, which at one time played Chopin (Frédéric Chopin). A year earlier, Cobb found the sketches, which prove that his home in County Dublin is the first significant building, which was built in Ireland, the famous British architect.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Sources: guardian.co. uk , timesonline.co.uk , heresycorner.blogspot.com , artinfo.com , folger.edu , artinvestment.ru