When it opened in 1856, the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) was the first of its kind in the world, created to house the portraits of historically important Britons. For its first 40 years the gallery did not have a permanent home, moving to its current site at St. Martin’s Place off Trafalgar Square, in 1896. The gallery was established with the maxim that it would be about history, first and foremost. The status of the sitter being more significance than the artist or the quality of the work.
Three busts at the entrance
The three busts over the main entrance are of the National Portrait Gallery’s founders:
Philip Henry Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope (in the middle), Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay, and Thomas Carlyle.
Stanhope obtained Queen Victoria’s consent to the gallery on his third attempt and the House of Commons set aside a sum of £2,000 to establish the NPG. Macaulay and Carlyle were his staunchest supporters.
The Chandos Portrait of William Shakespeare
The Chandos Portrait of William Shakespeare is the most famous portrait in the gallery.
Named after the Duke of Chandos, to whom it originally belonged, it was given to the NPG by Lord Ellesmere in 1856. It was the first work listed in the collection. There is some uncertainty about whether the portrait is actually of William Shakespeare, but the gallery believes it is.
You should not miss Statesmen of World War I, (156″ x 132″). The biggest portrait General Officers of World War I is the biggest portrait at 118″ x 208″ – there are 22 officers in this painting.
The smallest portrait, Henrietta Anne, Duchess of Orleans, is no bigger than a thumbnail. The portrait with the most sitters is The House of Commons with 375 sitters, of which 320 are identified. This took artist Sir George Hayter 10 years to complete.
One visitor comment sums up the experience: “It’s the most beautiful building in the country and the best thing about it is the free entry. This is how all attractions should be in London. The kids never get bored, and we learn something new every visit.”
The National Portrait Gallery is always happy to welcome families. The gallery offers a ‘drop in Sundays’ program, along with regular art workshops where you can participate in painting, drawing and animation. Pick up free resources from the Family Activity Base and explore the gallery. Or take the interactive Family Audiovisual Guide tour to learn fascinating facts and stories about the portraits.
This sky-lit restaurant has fabulous views stretching from Nelson’s Column to the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye. There’s a wonderful selection of sandwiches, salads, soups, stews, cakes and pastries, plus a special kids’ menu.
The National Portrait Gallery houses over 200,000 portraits from the 16th century to today in a wide variety of mediums such as paintings, miniatures, caricatures, negatives, drawings, photographs and sculptures. It is a fascinating insight into the people who shaped British history.
Address: St. Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE Tel: 0207 306 0055 Website: www.npg.org.uk Nearest tube station: Charing Cross
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