On June 22, the National Portrait Gallery in London reopened its doors once again, after two years of closure due to a significant renovation of its spaces costing a whopping £41 million, which began in the spring of 2021.
The National Portrait Gallery is on Artsupp!
The National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery is one of the leading art galleries in the United Kingdom, located in the heart of London, just a stone’s throw from the National Gallery.
It was founded in 1856 by Philip Henry Stanhope, Thomas Babington Macaulay, and Thomas Carlyle.
The initiative to create a national gallery aimed at providing the public with a vast collection of portraits depicting the major figures of history, culture, and science of Great Britain was first expressed by the founder Lord Stanhope as early as 1842.
At the time considered the largest exhibition space dedicated to portraits, it is still ranked among the top galleries today, sharing the podium with other museums around the world.
The Collection
The National Portrait Gallery houses portraits of the most famous figures in English history and culture across various mediums: in addition to paintings, visitors can also admire sculptures, photographs, and caricatures.
Included in the collection is the famous Chandos portrait, considered the most beautiful and lifelike among those depicting William Shakespeare. The painting was donated to the National Portrait Gallery in the year of its founding and is the first work to have arrived at the museum.
The Other Works
The other works housed in the museum range from the Tudor dynasty to the present day. In addition to various self-portraits by Joshua Reynolds and William Hogarth, there is a significant collection of historical importance: the anamorphic portrait of Edward VI by William Scrots, portraits of Sir Thomas More and his family, participants in the Somerset House Conference of 1604, the Brontë Sisters, Queen Victoria, and Prince Albert in a sculpture in medieval costume.
If you are interested in other must-see exhibitions in 2023 in Paris, London and Barcelona, we recommend our insights:
Exhibitions in Paris: all the appointments
Exhibitions in London, those not to be missed
Exhibitions in Barcelona for 2023
