Charles Wisner Barrell
Encyclopedia
Charles Wisner Barrell was an American film maker and supporter of the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship
.
Barrell worked as director of Motion Pictures
for the Western Electric Company
, making documentaries. He also worked in public relations
for various businesses. He became an advocate of J. Thomas Looney
's theory that the works of Shakespeare were written by Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
. He wrote many essays in support of this view. In 1934 he came to England looking for archival evidence to link de Vere to the works of Shakespeare. He hoped to identify the illegitimate son of Oxford and Anne Vavasour
, who he believed to be the Fair Youth of the sonnets.
He is best known for his studies of The Ashbourne portrait
, which had been believed to depict Shakespeare. He examined the portrait using X-ray
and infra-red photography in hopes of finding hidden clues to its origin. He stated that he had found evidence that it was a portrait of Oxford and that the initials C.K. were visible beneath the surface. He took the view that these were the initials of Cornelius Ketel, an artist known to have painted a portrait of the Earl of Oxford. Later studies contradicted Barrell's evidence, identifying the portrait's sitter as Hugh Hamersley
. Barrell also claimed that the Janssen portrait
depicted the earl. More recent studies identify it as a portrayal of Thomas Overbury
.
When the Second World War curtailed Shakespearean studies in England, Barrell helped to establish an American branch of the Shakespeare Fellowship and publish a newsletter.
Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship
The Oxfordian theory of Shakespearean authorship proposes that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford , wrote the plays and poems traditionally attributed to William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon. While a large majority of scholars reject all alternative candidates for authorship, popular...
.
Barrell worked as director of Motion Pictures
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
for the Western Electric Company
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
, making documentaries. He also worked in public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
for various businesses. He became an advocate of J. Thomas Looney
J. Thomas Looney
John Thomas Looney . was an English school teacher who is best known for having originated the Oxfordian theory, which claims that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was the true author of Shakespeare's plays.-Life:Looney was born in South Shields...
's theory that the works of Shakespeare were written by Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, lyric poet, sportsman and patron of the arts, and is currently the most popular alternative candidate proposed for the authorship of Shakespeare's works....
. He wrote many essays in support of this view. In 1934 he came to England looking for archival evidence to link de Vere to the works of Shakespeare. He hoped to identify the illegitimate son of Oxford and Anne Vavasour
Anne Vavasour
Anne Vavasour was a Maid of Honour ) to Queen Elizabeth I of England, and the mistress of two aristocratic men. Her first lover was Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, by whom she had an illegitimate son - Edward. For that offence, both she and the earl were sent to the Tower of London by the...
, who he believed to be the Fair Youth of the sonnets.
He is best known for his studies of The Ashbourne portrait
The Ashbourne portrait
The Ashbourne Portrait is one of the numberless portraits that have been falsely identified as portrayals of William Shakespeare. At least 60 such works had been offered for sale to the National Portrait Gallery in the 19th century within the first forty years of its existence; the Ashbourne...
, which had been believed to depict Shakespeare. He examined the portrait using X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
and infra-red photography in hopes of finding hidden clues to its origin. He stated that he had found evidence that it was a portrait of Oxford and that the initials C.K. were visible beneath the surface. He took the view that these were the initials of Cornelius Ketel, an artist known to have painted a portrait of the Earl of Oxford. Later studies contradicted Barrell's evidence, identifying the portrait's sitter as Hugh Hamersley
Hugh Hamersley
Sir Hugh Hamersley was a 17th century merchant who was Lord Mayor of London in 1627.-Business interests:...
. Barrell also claimed that the Janssen portrait
Cobbe portrait
The Cobbe portrait is an early Jacobean panel painting of a gentleman which has been argued to be a life portrait of William Shakespeare. It is displayed at Hatchlands Park in Surrey, a National Trust property, and the portrait is so-called because of its historical ownership by Archbishop Charles...
depicted the earl. More recent studies identify it as a portrayal of Thomas Overbury
Thomas Overbury
Sir Thomas Overbury was an English poet and essayist, and the victim of one of the most sensational crimes in English history...
.
When the Second World War curtailed Shakespearean studies in England, Barrell helped to establish an American branch of the Shakespeare Fellowship and publish a newsletter.
External Links
- The writings of Charles Wisner Barrell From The Shakespeare Fellowship News-Letter (American) 1940 - 1943 and The Shakespeare Fellowship Quarterly (American) 1944 - 1948.
- Notice of Charles Wisner Barrell's death (pg. 44)