THE WORLD’S smallest portrait of William Shakespeare is on display in Stratford.
Visitors to Shakespeare’s New Place will have the opportunity to see the unique piece of art by award-winning micro-artist Graham Short.
The engraving, called The Bard of Avon, which can be seen in the eye of a needle, is based on the iconic portrait of Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout, known today as the portrait included in the First Folio of 1623.
Audiences can view the artwork up close through a microscope, revealing the delicate artistry and skill involved in its creation.
Based in Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter, Graham is best known for his intricate and astonishingly tiny engravings. After training and working as an engraver, he applied his experience and skills to micro-art, producing fine engravings with simple hand tools that are virtually invisible to the naked eye without a microscope.
Graham goes to extraordinary lengths to keep a steady hand while producing his artwork. To produce such detailed pieces of art, he works from midnight until 5am to minimise the risk of vibrations from nearby traffic. He also lowers his heart rate to twenty beats per minute to ensure an incredibly steady hand.
His most recognised works include a portrait of Jane Austen on the transparent section of four polymer banknotes and a microscopic image thought to be the world’s tiniest nativity scene. The portrait of Shakespeare is one of his latest pieces.
He said: ‘’Creating this portrait of one of the world’s most iconic writers was a great challenge and achievement. Now to have it displayed in his hometown for visitors from far and wide to see is an honour.’’
