The Victoria & Albert Museum has defended its decision to exhibit a portrait of Kevin Spacey despite allegations of sexual misconduct against the actor.

The disgraced Oscar-winner has faced accusations of sexual assault and earlier this year pleaded not guilty to groping a teenage restaurant worker in the first criminal case involving the 59-year-old.

Spacey's image is set to go on display at the London museum as part of an exhibition of portraits focusing on major figures in the theatre and film industries.

The American Beauty lead was selected for the spectacle, which will be unveiled at the V&A's annual Performance Festival later this month, because he was a visiting professor of the Cameron Mackintosh Chair of Contemporary Theatre at St Catherine's College, Oxford.

The portraits are by artist Francis Hamel and will be on display at the museum from April 27 to May 19.

Other prominent figures involved in the project include Richard Attenborough, Stephen Daldry, Stephen Fry, Sir Ian McKellen, Dame Diana Rigg and Meera Syal.

A spokeswoman for Sir Cameron Mackintosh said: "This display of portraits is an accurate historic record of every professor who has occupied the Cameron Mackintosh Chair of Contemporary Theatre over 27 years at St Catherine's College, Oxford.