Shrew Gallery

Christopher Sly by Giovacchino Forzano

Christopher Sly by Giovacchino Forzano (19 November 1884 28 October 1970) translated by H. B. Cotterill and starring Matheson Lang (May 15, 1879 April 11, 1948). First produced at the New Theatre in London (now known as The Noel Coward Theatre) on 31st August 1921. Sly, in the blue cloak, has been taken from Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew. He still drinks too much, but becomes a tragic figure, when, given a noblemans clothes and admitted to court, he kills himself because he cannot stand the mockery. The artist is Charles Buchel (18721950). Date: 1921

© The Michael Diamond Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library

Sir Laurence Olivier aged 15 playing Kate in Taming of Shrew

Sir Laurence Olivier in his first leading Shakespearian role - Katharine in Taming of the Shrew at All Saints Choir School, Margaret Street, London and Stratford-on-Avon in April 1922. Ellen Terry said that she had never seen Kate better played, even by a woman, except Ada Rehan. Sybil Thorndike said he was "really wonderful, the best Shrew I ever saw - a bad-tempered little bitch." A fellow actor said "What I remember about his Kate was his complete naturalness" Date: 1922

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Marten, Martes martes, and wolverine, Gulo gulo

Common shrew, Sorex araneus, and star-nosed mole, Condylura cristata.. Handcolored copperplate stipple engraving from Frederic Cuvier's Dictionary of Natural Science: Mammals, Paris, France, 1816. Illustration by J. G. Pretre, engraved by Massard, directed by Pierre Jean-Francois Turpin, and published by F.G. Levrault. Jean Gabriel Pretre (1780-1845) was painter of natural history at Empress Josephine's zoo and later became artist to the Museum of Natural History

© Florilegius / Mary Evans