I’d never been to the National Portrait Gallery until my last visit to London a few years back. I remembered reading one of PortMoresby’s excellent posts on visiting England, wherein she mentions the National Portrait Gallery as a favorite; that recommendation alone made it worth seeing, and the visit did not disappoint.
The National Portrait Gallery houses images of famous British residents who helped shape the country’s history — from royalty to military to scientists to entertainers. It was the first portrait gallery in the world when it opened in 1856. Forty years later the gallery was moved to its current location, adjoining the National Gallery near Trafalgar Square.
My brother and I spent a few hours walking through the extensive collection of portraits. There are far to many to take in, as the Gallery is home to several hundred thousand works (although only a few thousand are on display). These portraits are crafted on a variety of media, including paintings, photographs, sculptures, and so on. Associated with each image is a plaque giving you a few sentences of interesting information about the featured individual.
A number of the portraits are quite familiar and you’ve probably seen them in history books or television documentaries, but there were a number that caught my attention and interest and form the core of this week’s blog:
Sir Thomas More (Oil on panel, 17th century):
I’d been an admirer of the man since seeing the great film, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS.
William Pitt (Marble, 1808):
Britain’s youngest Prime Minister, at age 24, and supported by King George III. I thought he had rather interesting facial features.
Daniel Lambert (Oil on Panel, early 19th century):
A jailor in Leicester around 200 years ago. Having gained a lot of weight (up to 56 stones, or 784 lbs), he later made his living by displaying himself to Londoners as a “curiosity”. He was the heaviest recorded individual until the 20th century.
Edward William Lane (sculpted by his brother, Richard James Lane):
Arabic scholar best known for translating the Arabian Nights.
William Shakespeare (oil on canvas, circa 1600):
Among the first portraits acquired by the National Portrait Gallery. Is there anything more British that Shakespeare?
Queen Victoria (variety of media):
Probably one of the most featured individuals in the gallery, not a surprise given that its collection originated during her reign. A few examples are included here.
(I thought this piece of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in AngloSaxon dress captured their well-known affection for each other)
Charles Darwin (oil on canvas, 1881):
Perhaps the world’s most reknowned naturalist. His life’s work, The Origin of the Species, revolutionized science and society.
Winston Churchill (cast of a bronze bust, 1955):
If ever there was a right leader for the right time, this is the man. Some may not like him, but I’ve always admired his agile mind and insights.
Elton John (Tempera and gold leaf, 1978):
A musical genius and one of my personal favorite singer/songwriters. This piece is titled, “On the Throne”.
Diana, Princess of Wales (acrylic on canvas, 1981):
Swept up by events that would have destroyed most of us. A life tragically ended at 36.
Margaret Thatcher (Oil on Canvas 1982)
A scene from the conservative part conference of 1982. The first woman prime minister of the country, and the longest serving PM of the 20th century.
Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge (oil on canvas, 2012)
She already looks like a queen.
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The Portrait Gallery is currently closed until Spring 2023. It’s undergoing an extensive renovation of the building and exhibit spaces and I’m sure that when it reopens it will be worth revisiting.
