NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
St Martin’s Place, Trafalgar Square, WC2
020 7312 2463
www.npg.org.uk
Daily 10.00-18.00, Thurs & Fri 10.00-21.00
Price:Free.
A who’s who of British portraiture, from monarchs to film stars, the influential to the infamous through photography, paintings and sculpture.This year the gallery is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
The National Portrait Gallery was established with the criteria that the Gallery was to be about history, not about art, and about the status of the sitter, rather than the quality or character of a particular image considered as a work of art. This criterion is still used by the Gallery today when deciding which works enter the National Portrait Gallery's collection. Originally, it was decided by the Trustees that "No portrait of any person still living, or deceased less that 10 years, shall be admitted by purchase, donation, or bequest, except only in the case of the reigning Sovereign, and of his or her Consort". This rule changed in 1969 in order to encourage a policy of admitting living sitters.
The Primary Collection contains more than 10,000 portraits. Of these almost 4,000 are paintings, sculptures and miniatures, approaching 60% of which are regularly displayed, with the intention to show a further selection. In addition, there are more than 6,000 light-sensitive works on paper, shown on a rotating basis of about 300 items a year to avoid excessive light exposure and thus to minimise deterioration and fading. The concept of a Primary Collection of paintings, sculpture, miniatures, etc., and a Reference Collection or study collection of prints, was established immediately following the Gallery's foundation in 1856. These collections were later extended to include photographs.
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Late night opening Thursday and Friday until 9pm
Last admission to paying exhibitions is 45 minutes before the Gallery closes. Last admission to David Hockney Portraits 1 hour before the Gallery closes
Closing commences 10 minutes prior to the stated time.
The Gallery is closed 24-26 December.
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