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Secrets of the Dead

Facial Recognition Finds 91% Match to Shakespeare

Clip: Season 23 Episode 2 | 1m 24sVideo has Closed Captions

Facial recognition software suggests the portrait may depict William Shakespeare.

Steven Wadlow’s method for testing and comparing his portrait of William Shakespeare with already authenticated ones originally involved cutting and pasting photocopied images by hand. Today, advanced facial recognition software offers, not only a shortcut for comparison, but also hope that the painting may indeed depict Shakespeare himself.

11/12/2025

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Experts Used Tree Rings to Date This Portrait to Shakespeare’s Lifetime

Video has Closed Captions

Clip: S23 Ep2 | 2m 45s | Dendrochronology reveals surprising results about Steven’s portrait of Shakespeare. (2m 45s)

Family Discovers Possible Shakespeare Portrait Hanging in Their Living Room

Video has Closed Captions

Clip: S23 Ep2 | 2m 10s | The portrait hung above the family TV for 50 years before they realized it might be Shakespeare. (2m 10s)

Preview | Picturing Shakespeare

Video has Closed Captions

Preview: S23 Ep2 | 32s | Could the discovery of a third portrait of William Shakespeare be a genuine article? (32s)

X-Rays Reveal Hidden Clues: Is This the Only Portrait of Shakespeare from Life?

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Clip: S23 Ep2 | 2m 2s | X-ray scans of the Wadlow Shakespeare portrait reveal details beneath several areas of overpaint. (2m 2s)

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