Shakespeare's Only Portrait Painted from Life May Be Owned by a British Window Washer

A British man insists that his family owns the only portrait of William Shakespeare that was painted when the playwright was alive. In a report by Artnet News, Steven Wadlow, a window washer, has spent more than a decade leading a team of experts to confirm that his family's painting may well be the legendary Bard.

This oil-on-board portrait has created a big stir since it has a potential historical value, which may lead to a valuation of £100 million ($130 million) to £200 million ($260 million) upon its authentication.

Wadlow realized he could be owning Shakespeare's only portrait as far back as 2012 when his father was watching a Shakespeare documentary and stumbled upon an uncanny resemblance of the playwright with a portrait the man had in his living room. The painting had been bought by Wadlow's father in the 1960s at an estate sale at Great Tew Manor.

Since the similarities were so striking, Wadlow became inspired to authenticate the piece and consulted an expert in art history, dendrochronology, and costume.

The authenticity of William Shakespeare's Only Portrait

About 5 days ago, the Daily Mail shared that evidence to confirm the authenticity of the portrait has accumulated. It was dated by dendrochronological analysis to 1595, when Shakespeare was 31. Further confirmation has come from experts at University College London, which have analyzed the paint and confirmed that it matches materials used during the period.

The historians of costume have further substantiated the claims that the clothes in the portrait are indeed from the late 16th century. Even the forensic art analysts from Lumiere Technology in Paris found pentimenti-a correction made in the process of painting-which indicates that the work was done from life.

Despite the mounting evidence, Wadlow has faced resistance from the academic community. "One told me that many an academic career has been dashed on the rocks of Shakespeare portraits, so they won't go near it," Wadlow explained.

Skeptics also struggle with the portrayal of Shakespeare, who appears clean-shaven in the painting, unlike the more commonly recognized depictions of the Bard with a beard.