Charles Macklin as Shylock

Johann Zoffany painted Charles Macklin as Shylock around 1768, depicting the Irish actor in his celebrated interpretation of the character from The Merchant of Venice. Macklin had created a sensation in 1741 when he restored Shylock to Shakespeare's original tragic-comic conception after decades of performances in which the role had been reduced to farce. Zoffany's theatrical portrait captures Macklin in the specific pose and costume of his famous performance, the documentary interest of the theatrical portrait combining with the painter's characteristic attentiveness to the specific physiognomy of his theatrical subject.

Zoffany captures the specific moment of the trial scene with documentary precision, showing Macklin's powerful facial expression and dramatic gesture. The careful rendering of the courtroom setting and costumes demonstrates Zoffany's ability to record theatrical performance with vivid accuracy.