Who painted Laurence Olivier as Macbeth?

Laurence Olivier as Macbeth was painted by Ruskin Spear in 1955.

Where can I see Laurence Olivier as Macbeth?

Laurence Olivier as Macbeth is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artwork

Laurence Olivier as Macbeth

Ruskin Spear , 1955

Laurence Olivier as Macbeth is a paint painting by Ruskin Spear. It dates from 1955 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

This painting is called Laurence Olivier as Macbeth. It's a portrait of the actor in a famous role.

The portrait was made for the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, where Olivier performed in a 1955 production of Macbeth. The artist worked from photographs and studio sittings to create the painting.

To learn more about the artist who created this work, look up the artist: Spear, Ruskin.

Overview

Laurence Olivier as Macbeth is an oil sketch by Ruskin Spear, created in 1955 as a preparatory study for a full-length portrait. The work depicts the renowned actor in his role as Macbeth at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait captures Olivier's embodiment of Macbeth, reflecting his performance in the theatre's 1955 production, directed by Glen Byam Shaw. The subject's pose and expression convey the character's dramatic intensity.

Technique & Style

Spear executed the sketch in oil, combining references from specially commissioned photographs by John Underwood with impressions from studio sittings with Olivier, adapting to the actor's busy schedule.

History & Provenance

Commissioned by the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre's governors, this sketch is one of at least two preparatory works for the final portrait, now housed in the Royal Shakespeare Company's gallery.

Context

Created during a pivotal moment in Olivier's career and the theatre's history, the sketch intersects the realms of art, theatre, and literary interpretation, highlighting the collaboration between a prominent artist and actor.

Artist & collection

Artist

Ruskin Spear

London painter Ruskin Spear brought the drama of daily life onto canvas. His watercolour “China Clay Works, Great Wheal Prosper, Tresayes, Roche” (c. 1940) captures the gritty, industrial stretch of Cornwall’s claypits,…