Historians believe they may have discovered the face of William Shakespeare's secret gay lover in a miniature portrait.
University of Warwick art historian Dr Elizabeth Goldring has suggested that a newly-uncovered 16th century miniature of Henry Wriothesley, the third Earl of Southampton and Shakespeare's first patron, may have been a "love token".
The tiny portrait was held in a private collection within his family before it was purchased by an unnamed party.
Dr Goldring said: “Miniatures are very personal, private intimate images often worn on the body close to the heart and were frequently exchanged as love tokens.”
Dr Elizabeth Goldring has suggested that the uncovered 16th century miniature portrait of Henry Wriothesley may have been a 'love token'
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On the back of the mini-portrait, a playing card's red heart can be seen with a black arrow painted over, mirroring the spear found on Mr Shakespeare's coat of arms.
The art historian told The Telegraph: “It’s really extraordinary, and I’ve never come across anything like it before.
“Common sense would suggest that the defacing probably occurred relatively early in its history - it’s such a visceral, violent reaction that it seems someone only with a connection to the subject would have done it.”
The discovery adds to a long-running debate over the sexuality of the English playwright.
A playing card's red heart can be seen with a black arrow painted over, mirroring the spear found on Mr Shakespeare's coat of arms
|HANDOUT
Five years ago, Professor Sir Stanley Wells and Dr Paul Edmondson claimed that Shakespeare was "undeniably" bisexual after carrying out analysis of the language he employed in his sonnets.
According to the pair's findings, some of the sonnets he wrote were addressed to men, as well as women.
Prof Sir Stanley said: “The language of sexuality in some of the sonnets, which are definitely addressed to a male subject, leaves us in no doubt that Shakespeare was bisexual.
"It’s become fashionable since the mid-1980s to think of Shakespeare as gay. But he was married and had children."
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The discovery adds to the long-running debated surrounding the sexuality of the British playwright
| GETTYThe Earl of Southampton has been widely attributed to be the figure described by the world-renowned playwright as the "Fair Youth".
Some historians believe that the miniature portrait of the aristocrat was returned in 1598 when he got married.
Dr Goldring said: “The provenance supports the idea that the miniature was returned to Southampton, because normally they are given away.
“One tantalising interpretation might be that Shakespeare was the original recipient of the miniature but returned it to the Earl at some point - perhaps around the time of Southampton’s marriage in 1598 - with his personal mark firmly obscuring the heart."
Professor Sir Jonathan Bate, one of Britain's leading experts on the playwright, said: “I just couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. I’ve seen hundreds of 16th century miniatures; they are intensely private images.
"This just felt like something even more private than the face seen on the other side.
“We had never seen a playing card reverse vandalised like this, with the obliteration of a heart.
"And to get to the back of a miniature in Elizabethan England, you would have to have prised it out of a very, very expensive locket. This feels like a really passionate act.”