Venues

National Portrait Gallery, London

National Portrait Gallery, London

National Portrait Gallery, London

Open to the public

Museum or gallery in Central London

3,521 artworks

Plan a visit

More about

Founded in 1856 and located just off Trafalgar Square, the National Portrait Gallery is home to the largest collection of portraiture in the world, featuring famous men and women who have helped shape British history from the great Tudor courts to the present day, with contemporary portraits reflecting the diversity, inventiveness and multi-culturalism of modern-day Britain. By weaving together 500 years of history, art, biography and fame, the Gallery offers a unique and fascinating insight into those individuals that together characterise a nation. Visitors can come face to face with kings and queens, courtiers and courtesans, politicians and poets, soldiers and scientists, artists and writers, philosophers and film stars. Its 3,000 paintings feature some of the most iconic and instantly recognisable faces in British history, from Elizabeth I to J. K. Rowling, with artists ranging from Holbein to Hockney. Behind each image is a fascinating story giving an insight into an individual who stood out in their generation and enriched our culture and national consciousness.

St Martin’s Place, London, Greater London WC2H 0HE England

newmedia@npg.org.uk

0207 306 0055

The Gallery is open daily 10am–6pm and on Thursday and Friday until 9pm. Whilst the majority of painted portraits are on display, those not on display can readily be made available for viewing by contacting the collection.

http://www.npg.org.uk/

Artworks

  • T. E. Lawrence (1888–1935)
    T. E. Lawrence (1888–1935) Eric Henri Kennington (1888–1960)
    National Portrait Gallery, London
  • Sir John Pope-Hennessy (1913–1994)
    Sir John Pope-Hennessy (1913–1994) Elisabeth Frink (1930–1993)
    National Portrait Gallery, London
  • Sir Thomas Beecham (1879–1961), 2nd Bt
    Sir Thomas Beecham (1879–1961), 2nd Bt David Wynne (1926–2014)
    National Portrait Gallery, London
  • Sir Ernst Chain
    Sir Ernst Chain Lotte Laserstein (1898–1993)
    National Portrait Gallery, London
  • Elinor Glyn, née Sutherland
    Elinor Glyn, née Sutherland Arnold Mason (1885–1963)
    National Portrait Gallery, London
  • Antoinette Sibley
    Antoinette Sibley Howard J. Morgan (b.1949)
    National Portrait Gallery, London
  • Elias Canetti
    Elias Canetti Marie-Louise von Motesiczky (1906–1996)
    National Portrait Gallery, London
  • 3,514 more

Artists

  • Aga Khan III (Mohammed Shah)
    Alexander ('Alick') Penrose Forbes Ritchie (1868–1938)
  • The Truant in Hiding
    John Callcott Horsley (1817–1903)
  • John C. Menzies (c.1890–1980), Secretary-Superintendent
    Frederic Whiting (1874–1962)
  • Self Portrait with a Cat
    Lotte Laserstein (1898–1993)
  • Stephen Bone (1904–1958)
  • Basil Hume
    Jeff Stultiens (b.1944)
  • Robert Scott Lauder (1803–1869)
  • Joseph Bonomi the Younger
    Matilda Sharpe (1830–1915)
  • Sir Martin Archer Shee
    Martin Archer Shee (1769–1850)
  • Cunne Shote
    James Macardell (1727/1728–1765)

Stories

Curations

  • Flower Piece
    Trail
    Glasgow Trail

    2 artworks curated by Terence G

Venues in Central London

  •
    A David Bomberg Legacy – The Sarah Rose Collection at London South Bank University, Borough Road
  • Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre
  • Bank of England Museum
  • Barts Hospital
  • Birkbeck, University of London
  • British Council Collection
  • British Dental Association Dental Museum
  • British Library
  • British Museum
  • British Red Cross Museum and Archives