| TITLE
| William Shakespeare |
| CREATOR | Unknown |
| DATE | 1800-1840 |
| DIMENSIONS | 27.5 x 15 x 9 in. |
| ORIGINAL FORMAT | Sculpture |
| MEDIUM | Plaster |
| PHYSICAL NOTE | This plaster sculpture is one of the 16 that sit atop the bookshelves in the library’s main hall. |
| DONOR | Gift of James Phalen |
| DATE OF ACCESSION | 1840 |
| LOCATION | Providence Athenæum: Main Library |
This bust of the great English dramatist and poet, William Shakespeare [1564-1616] is one of sixteen that circle the Athenæum’s main room. Ten of the busts, including this one, were donated by James Phalen in 1840. Phalen, a Providence resident, was a managing contractor for U.S. lotteries. In 1838, Phalen’s Exchange and Lottery Office was located on North Main Street, very close to the newly opened Athenæum.
Shakespeare, regarded as one of the most important writers in the English language, was born and educated in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He was soon an established playwright in London, and later owned stock in the Globe Theatre, where many of his works were first performed.
The Phalen bust bears a strong resemblance to Peter Scheemakers’ [1691-1781] bust of Shakespeare, installed in the Long Room of the Trinity College Library in Ireland. The Athenæum collection holds another bust of Shakespeare, donated by Ethelbert R. Billings in 1863 and modeled after John Taylor’s iconic “Chandos” portrait of the writer.