Edmund Kean as Richard III 1815 - 1833

This 19th-century lithograph by John Byrne depicts English actor Edmund Kean as the iconic Shakespearean character Richard III. Kean was famed for his passionate, physically expressive performances, and Byrne captures this energy in the print. The image shows Kean in full theatrical costume, sword raised, and his expression is filled with dramatic intensity. Byrne's work, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, provides a glimpse into the world of 19th-century theater and the enduring legacy of Shakespeare's plays.