---
title: Leo Africanus as Shakespeare's Othello
author: Théodore Chassériau
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19457/leo-africanus-as-shakespeares-othello/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 2024-09-18
---
# Leo Africanus as Shakespeare's Othello
_Authored by Théodore Chassériau_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19457.png)
## Image Caption
Many scholars, without concrete evidence, believe that [Leo Africanus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Leo_Africanus/) 1485-1554 was the inspiration behind [William Shakespeare](https://www.worldhistory.org/William_Shakespeare/)’s Othello, shown here with Desdemona in an 1849 painting by Théodore Chassériau, currently in the Louvre Museum, [Paris](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/paris/).
## Cite This Work
### APA
Chassériau, T. (2024, September 18). Leo Africanus as Shakespeare's Othello. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Chassériau, Théodore. "Leo Africanus as Shakespeare's Othello." *World History Encyclopedia*, September 18, 2024. .
### MLA
Chassériau, Théodore. "Leo Africanus as Shakespeare's Othello." *World History Encyclopedia*, 18 Sep 2024, .
## License & Copyright
[Original image](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Othello_and_Desdemona_in_Venice_by_Th%C3%A9odore_Chass%C3%A9riau.jpg) by [**Théodore Chassériau**](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Othello_and_Desdemona_in_Venice_by_Th%C3%A9odore_Chass%C3%A9riau.jpg). Submitted by [Sikeena Karmali Ahmed](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/sikeenakarmalia/ "User Page: Sikeena Karmali Ahmed"), published on 18 September 2024. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Public Domain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain). This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.