This painting depicts Ira Aldridge (1807-1867), born Frederick William Aldridge in New York, in his most famous role as Othello.

Aldridge made his first London appearance as Othello at the Royalty Theatre in London's East End on 11th May 1825 when he was seventeen years old, billed as 'Mr. Keene, a Gentleman of Colour, from the New York Theatre'. He played the part many times on tour in the provinces before playing it again in London for two performances at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in 1833 when the tragedian Edmund Kean was too ill to perform. Some reviewers protested about a black actor being permitted to appear at Covent Garden, and the tone of their reviews the next day was somewhat sullen. Unable to criticise a good performance outright, The Morning Post grudgingly conceded: 'it was doubtless sufficiently good to be considered very curious'. This was balanced by the many other publications which declared Aldridge: 'a singularly gifted actor'(The Standard), who: 'evinced a great deal of feeling and nature in his performance' (The Spectator), with: 'beauties throughout his performance' (The Globe).