Glen Byam Shaw as Laertes

“You spoke and looked and moved with what I considered exactly the right weight—a beautifully poised effect,” wrote artist Glyn Philpot in a private letter to Glen Byam Shaw, praising his performance as Laertes in Hamlet. 

Philpot's painting captures Byam Shaw in costume, poised as if about to begin a monologue, his features dramatized by stark makeup and theatrical lighting. The strong jawline, arched brows, and vivid textures—starched collars, ruched sleeves, brocade fabrics—speak both to the character of Laertes and the artist’s fascination with surface, costume, and artifice. Originally a larger three-quarter length portrait, Philpot later cut the canvas down to focus on the sitter’s pale, elegant face, and ornate dress, enhancing the work’s dramatic intensity.

Philpot’s portrait, first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1935, was one of five works he submitted that year at the height of his career. The portrait also hints at the rich, often hidden, queer networks of the time. During Philpot’s lifetime, homosexuality was criminalized and heavily stigmatized in Britain. The legal and social environment was deeply repressive, particularly for men, and same-sex relationships were considered both immoral and illegal under British law. The decriminalization of homosexuality happened only in 1967.

P.S. Philpot wasn't the first to paint an actor in a Shakespearean costume. One of those before him was John Singer Sargent. Explore Sargent's portrait of Lady Macbeth.