Ffrangcon-Davies was a legend of the British stage, during a career that spanned 80 years. She was born in London into a Welsh family and made her stage debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1911. In 1924 she was hailed as the finest Juliet of her generation, playing opposite John Gielgud’s Romeo. Ffrangcon-Davies played many Shakespearean leads and appeared in numerous radio and television productions. She was made a Dame of the British Empire at the age of 100. This intensely sympathetic portrait, taken at her home, emphasizes her famously expressive hands.