NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY |
10,000 Portraits of British human beings
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Highlights |
Tudor Galleries
The Victorians
Britain since 1990
BP Portrait Gallery
Ondaatje Wing
Visitor Information |
The National Portrait Gallery is open daily, 10am to 6pm (Thursday and Friday 9pm). Entrance is FREE
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Since 1856, the National Portrait Gallery
has filled its St. Martin's Place home with photographs, caricatures,
drawings, paintings, and sculpture. The current collection adds up to
some 10,000 portraits of British human beings from throughout history.
Queen Victoria in her coronation robes, by Sir George Hayter 1838
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The building was originally built in a Neo-renaissance style, but has since been expanded twice. The latest of these – the Ondaatje Wing
- was completed as recently as the year 2000, and was opened by Her
Majesty the Queen. It includes an eye-catching two-storey escalator,
which leads up to the popular Tudor gallery.
William Shakespeare by John Taylor c1610
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Unusually
for an art gallery, some of the portraits on display here are regarded
by some critics as artistically unexceptional. Their interest often
comes from the people depicted in the art – figures such as Queen
Victoria, William Shakespeare, the Rolling Stones and the Bronte
sisters. Other pieces are important historical documents in their own
right, such as the group portrait of the Somerset House Conference of
1604. Other exhibitions vary wildly, from portraits of renowned author
Joseph Conrad, to collections of works by local Londoners.
The Somerset House Conference of 1604
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Did You Know?
The gallery's biggest portrait is 52,000 times larger than its smallest.
William Hogarth self portrait 1757
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Did You Know?
Before 1969, you'd never know if you were priviledged enough to warrant
having a portrait in the gallery – because images of people still
living were banned.
Sir Joshua Reynolds self portrait c1748
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The National Portrait Gallery is host of the well-known BP Portrait Prize,
which is recognised as the best showcase for upcoming portrait painters
in Britain. Although the recent choices of winners have been subject to
some controversy, successful painters in the competition have often
gone on to become highly successful.
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