John Philip Kemble as Hamlet 1801

Editor: This is Sir Thomas Lawrence's portrait of John Philip Kemble as Hamlet, now in the Tate. The somber colors really set a mood. That skull in his hand makes you think, doesn't it? What do you make of it? Curator: It’s all about the theatricality, isn't it? Kemble was a superstar, and Lawrence captures that moody, romantic sensibility. The sweeping cape, the skull…it’s Hamlet, but also Kemble playing Hamlet, which becomes another layer of pretending. Editor: So, it's a hall of mirrors, in a way? Curator: Precisely! It’s performance layered upon performance, like a delicious, slightly morbid cake. Editor: I never thought of it that way! Thanks!