最近，一幅人像油畫作品在英國引起了轟動。這幅作品據專家推算繪制于1610年，而畫上的主人公，正是聞名世界的文學巨匠莎士比亞。畫作繪制的時間正好是莎翁46歲之際，也就是他去世的六年之前。

300多年來，這幅畫一直是Cobbe家族的收藏，此前家族成員一直不知道畫上的人物是誰，目前的繼承者Alec Cobbe也曾認為這是詩人沃爾特拉雷的畫像。2006年，Alec Cobbe在美國看到一幅莎士比亞的畫像，發現它與自己家里的那幅畫驚人地相似。然后，他找到莎士比亞基金會的Well教授，起初Wells也將信將疑，但經過幾年來X光和紅外掃描，及一系列的照片鑒定，Wells教授表示：“我有90%的把握可以確認，這是莎士比亞在世時的繪制的唯一一幅畫像。這是莎士比亞的歷史研究的重大進展。”

這幅畫作將于4月23日莎士比亞的生日當天在莎翁的家鄉Stratford-upon-Avon展出。

First portrait of William Shakespeare unveiled

After three years of meticulous analysis, x-rays and infrared imaging, experts claim to have uncovered the only surviving portrait of William Shakespeare painted during his life.

The oil canvas is thought to have been painted in 1610 - six years before the playwright's death - when he was about 46 years old.

For three centuries the family was unsure of the identity of the figure in the portrait. According to Alec Cobbe, an art restorer, at one time it had been thought to be of Sir Walter Raleigh. In 2006, he visited the National Portrait Gallery and saw a painting of Shakespeare that hangs in the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington. It had been accepted as a life portrait of Shakespeare, but was discredited 70 years ago. Mr Cobbe saw the painting and realised the similarities with the painting he had inherited.

Believing his painting to be the original, he contacted Professor Stanley Wells, chairman of The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, who was initially sceptical. Prof Wells said: "My first impression was scepticism - I am a scholar. But my excitement has grown with the amount of evidence about the painting.

"I am willing to go 90 per cent of the way to declaring my confirmation that this is the only life time portrait of Shakespeare. It marks a major development in the history of Shakespearian portraiture."

The painting will go on display at The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 23, Shakespeare's birthday.

（Source: Telegraph，英國使館文化教育處提供）