Portrait of Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson (1853-1937), bust-length, in evening dress

Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson was the son of the art critic and journalist, John Forbes-Robertson. He won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools in 1870 where he sat for Rossetti and Ford Maddox Brown, but soon left to become an actor. His early theatrical roles were distinguished by his aesthetic rather than intellectual appeal. However, his Hamlet in 1897 was considered to be the best of his time, and in 1908 he made the part of the 'Stranger' in Jerome K. Jerome's 'The Passing of the Third Floor Back' his own and people flocked to performances in England and America. He was knighted by King George V in June 1913 and his last professional appearance was in 'Hamlet' at Harvard University in April 1916. He died in Dover on 6 November 1937.