Mr Ryder (1814-85) as Bolingbroke

Hand coloured photograph of actor John Ryder as Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, from the opening scene of Act 1 scene 1 of the play 'King Richard II', by William Shakespeare. Ryder wears a red velvet coat embroidered in gold with large sleeves trimmed with white fur.

In February 1857, Richard II was performed by Kean's company in St George's Hall. Kean then opened the production of Shakespeare's play in March 1857 at the Princess's Theatre in Oxford Street. Queen Victoria and her family visited the theatre to watch the production five times where it made a lasting impression on Princess Victoria, the Queen's eldest daughter. This photograph and other hand coloured photographs of the cast of the play were purchased by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1857 as a Christmas present.