Othello
Entry ID
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82 (26/01/2022)
Formal title of the work
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Othello
Description of the sculpture
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A bronze and marble bust depicting the Shakespearean character, Othello. The bearded figure is depicted wearing a draped garment with a hood covering his head. He looks down towards a handkerchief in his left hand and a tear can be seen in the corner of his left eye. The sculpture is displayed on a sienna marble socle with a black pedestal.
URLs where this is recorded/available
Type of object
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Bust – Portrait
Base
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Base present - appears to be the original base
Dimensions
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Height: 90 cm
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Width: 56 cm
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Depth: 51 cm
Materials
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Bronze
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Marble – white
Specific techniques used
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Carving
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Casting
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Patination
Overall colour
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Polychrome
Inscriptions
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Back: 'Calvi / 1874'
Does the Black person have a specific identity?
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Identifiable: person from literature/ musicals/ opera
Identity of Black person (real or fictive)
Role within sculpture
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Main protagonist
Gender
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Male
Age
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Adult
Status
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Free citizen
Clothing
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Wearing clothes – ‘exotic’ clothing
Evidence of enslavement
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None
Evidence of 'exotic' status
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‘Exotic’ costume/dress
Action or activity
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Not relevant (head)
Emotional state
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Sad/tearful/mournful
Focus of gaze of Black person
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Looking downwards
Sculptural context
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No location included/implied
Sculptor
Place of production
Period of production
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Nineteenth century (1800-1899)
Date of Production
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1874
Date inferred from
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Recorded in inscription
Original purpose
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Decorative
Original display setting
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Unknown
Current owner
Current / most recently known location
Accession number
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SCM19
Provenance history
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gifted to Torre Abbey Museum and Gardens
Notes
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The likeness for this bust is said to be inspired by Ira Frederick Aldridge (1807-1867), an American and later British actor, playwright and theatre manager. The son of an American slave, Aldridge became well-known throughout Europe for his portrayal of Othello.
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There are several versions of the bust in existence,
all slightly different.
Current rights holder
License terms for reuse
http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/36, . (no date) ‘Othello’, Black People in European Sculpture, accessed May 25, 2025, http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/716
