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🎨 World's largest portrait Collection 🏠 Open daily 10.30-18.00 🌃 Friday & Saturday 10.30-21.00 📸 Enjoy #TheTimeIsAlwaysNow and #PortraitsToDreamIn
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Happy Birthday to our Patron, HRH The Princess of Wales.
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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth of York on 21 April 1926 in London. As a young royal, countless images of the Queen were captured – from her first years to the earliest moments of her royal duties.
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Today marks 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne, making her the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.
This portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was taken in 1952, the year before her coronation.
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As Queen Elizabeth II’s rule became record-breaking, new portraits captured spoke specifically to the longevity of her reign – like this one, taken by David Bailey on the year of her 88th birthday.
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We’re wishing HRH The Duchess of Cambridge a wonderful birthday🎈
To celebrate this day, we are pleased to announce that these three new portraits of The Duchess, taken by Paolo Roversi, have entered our Collection.
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To mark the
#PlatinumJubilee
, portraits of Queen Elizabeth II have been projected onto Marble Arch👑
Alongside
@theartofldn
&
@MarbleArchLDN
, with the support of
@EnglishHeritage
&
@CityWestminster
, our Gallery lit up Marble Arch with 6 images of the Queen from our Collection✨
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David Hockney: Drawing from Life returns this autumn.
📆 2 November 2023 – 21 January 2024
Pre-book your tickets now:
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We're wishing Her Majesty The Queen a wonderful birthday 🎈
Explore the most iconic looks from Queen Elizabeth II's reign in a blog from former Editor-In-Chief of
@BritishVogue
,
@AShulman2
:
📸Queen Elizabeth II by Dorothy Wilding, 1952 © NPG
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We are extremely saddened to learn of the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh this morning. Our deepest sympathy goes out to Her Majesty The Queen and all of the Royal Family.
Photograph by Dorothy Wilding, July 1947.
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King Charles III was born
#onthisday
in 1948.
To mark His Majesty’s birthday, we are excited to announce the launch of a new publication - Charles III: The Making of a King.
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Happy Birthday to our Patron HRH The Princess of Wales 🎊
📷 David Parry
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We are delighted to welcome into the collection a portrait of
#Malala
Yousafzai by acclaimed Iranian-born artist and filmmaker, Shirin Neshat.
Supported by Scott Collins and Lotta Ashdown, in partnership with Outset.
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To mark the first anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III has shared a portrait of his late mother, taken during the earlier years of her reign.
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We are delighted to announce that portraits of the Windrush Generation commissioned by His Majesty King Charles III will go on display in the Gallery from October.
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“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
James Baldwin, American novelist and social critic, was born
#onthisday
in 1924.
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From today, this portrait of The Duchess of Cambridge will be displayed at
@MuseumsUniStA
, with The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge having met at
@univofstandrews
. This forms part of our Coming Home project, where we send portraits of individuals to places they are associated with.
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From today, you'll be able to visit this portrait of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge at St James the Less Church in Pangbourne, Berkshire!
This portrait was acquired into our Collection earlier this year, to mark The Duchess' 40th birthday🎈
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This month, we'll be looking at family with our
#portraitoftheday
series, and what better portrait to start us off than this one of the Perry Family?
📸 The Perry Family (Florence Perry; Philippa Perry; Grayson Perry) by Martin Parr, 2012 © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos
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Queen Elizabeth II is depicted alongside one of her beloved corgis – Spark. This work by Michael Leonard was commissioned by Reader’s Digest and presented to the Gallery in celebration of the Queen’s sixtieth birthday.
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It looks like one of the
#HSBookFairies
has left something in this well-known location...
#ibelieveInbookfairies
#HoldStill2020
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Much-loved children’s author Judith Kerr is our
#PortraitoftheDay
, pictured here with her cat Katinka 🐱
📷 by Sam Pelly, March 2011 © Sam Pelly / National Portrait Gallery, London
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Today, The Princess of Wales, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, reopened the Gallery following our three-year Inspiring People refurbishment programme.
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Emmeline Pankhurst addressing a crowd in Trafalgar Square, campaigning for women's rights to vote
#GeneralElection17
#GE2017
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During the evening the Duchess met with members of our Youth Forum and Learning Team to hear more about the Gallery’s Creative Connections initiative, and Inspiring People re-development project.
Click to find out more:
#NPGGala
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We are delighted to announce the commission of Work in Progress (2021-2), an important new group portrait co-created by artists Jann Haworth and Liberty Blake. This large scale work will feature 130 brilliant women from British history and culture.
#InternationalWomensDay
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Congratulations to Miriam Escofet, winner of the
#BPPortrait
Award 2018 for her portrait of her mother, An Angel at my Table.
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Today we invited the photographers that were part of Hold Still to see our new Gallery❤️
📸 Photograph of Hold Still participants outside the new National Portrait Gallery forecourt by David Parry, 2023 © David Parry / National Portrait Gallery, London
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“I’m naturally drawn to something that I feel is a bit more real”
Watch
@pipsharp
as he reflects on his portrait of
#OneDirection
star
#LouisTomlinson
.
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018 is on until 27 January | Book now:
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The Gallery is set to publish a new book of photographic portraits from the Hold Still exhibition. Launching on the 7 May 2021, its publication will mark one year since HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and the Gallery launched the ambitious community project.
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#HappyBirthday
to the brilliant Dame Maggie Smith.
⠀
From Shakespeare to
#HarryPotter
, the Oscar winner's performances continue to dazzle audiences from around the world ⭐ Tell us, What’s your favourite?
🎨 by James Lloyd, 2012
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"If you fall in love with a boy, you fall in love with a boy. The fact that many consider it a disease says more about them than it does about homosexuality.”
This International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia we're honouring writer & social critic, James Baldwin.
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Look who's joined the A-Team... We're delighted to have acquired Colin Davidson's portrait of
@edsheeran
. See it on display from tomorrow.
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Happy 95th Birthday to
#NationalTreasure
,
#conservationist
and renowned broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough 🎉
Which is your favourite Attenborough documentary?
📷 by Sam Barker, 2015 © Sam Barker
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To celebrate
#WomensHistoryMonth
, we will be highlighting women who have made their mark on history through their professional accomplishments and NOT their relationship to men.
Starting with the legendary
@wmarybeard
.
📸 by Cristina de Middel, 2022 © Middel /
@MagnumPhotos
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Dame Vivienne Westwood 🧡 1941-2022
📸 Vivienne In Her Garden, London 2014 (Dame Vivienne Westwood) by Juergen Teller, 2014 © National Portrait Gallery, London/ Photo: Juergen Teller
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To mark the
#PlatinumJubilee
, we asked families to send in their recreations of Royal portraits in our Collection 📸 We're excited to now reveal the winners from this photography competition...
Congratulations to Sarah Hogan for her 1st place image, taken of her daughter 👑
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We are delighted to announce that the winner of this year's
#BPPortrait
Award Visitors' Choice is 'Portrait of Fatima' by Jamie Coreth.
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#HoldStill2020
judge Ruth May and her daughter Lucie have joined
#HSBookFairies
, and will be hiding a copy of Hold Still: A Portrait of our Nation in 2020, in a location that gave them hope during the last year.
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Happy Birthday
@LewisHamilton
! Born
#OnThisDay
in 1985, Hamilton has enjoyed a successful Formula One career, with this photograph taken in 2007 when he first raced for McLaren.
#NationalPortraitGallery
#FormulaOne
Lewis Hamilton by Dario Mitidieri, 2007 © Dario Mitidieri
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It's brilliant to see a new portrait of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge unveiled at the
@FitzMuseum_UK
today.
Painted by award-winning British artist Jamie Coreth, the portrait will be loaned to our Gallery in 2023 to mark our reopening!
Delighted to see this new portrait unveiled at the
@FitzMuseum_UK
in Cambridge today!
🎨 Jamie Coreth
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⭐️ Welcome back ⭐️ After a three-year transformation, the new National Portrait Gallery has now officially reopened 🎉 Come and say hi 👋
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"I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves."
Writer and founder of modern British feminism Mary Wollstonecraft was born
#onthisday
in 1759.
📍 On display in Room 12 on Floor 3
🎨 Mary Wollstonecraft by John Opie, circa 1797 © NPG, London
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Tonight we were delighted to welcome our Patron, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge
@KensingtonRoyal
to the Gallery for the 2017
#PortraitGala
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Happy Birthday to Dame Maggie Smith 🎊
From Shakespeare to Harry Potter, the Oscar winner's performances continue to dazzle audiences worldwide. Tell us, what's your favourite?
🎨 Maggie Smith by James Lloyd, 2012 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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@KensingtonRoyal
Looking forward to displaying these portraits as part of our Coming Home project📸
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"An understanding of the natural world is a source of not only great curiosity, but great fulfilment."
Wishing a very happy birthday to conservationist, broadcaster and national treasure, Sir David Attenborough 🎂
📸 Sir David Attenborough © Julian Anderson
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We are excited to announce our reopening exhibition programme, highlights include…
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Launched by The Duchess of Cambridge,
#HoldStill2020
is an ambitious community project to create a unique photographic portrait which captures the spirit, hopes, fears & feelings of the UK as we continue to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak. To take part:
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With this year being the
#PlatinumJubilee
, we’d love to see your family’s take on a royal portrait👑
Submit photographs of your family recreating one of the royal portraits in our Collection, with the chance to be featured on our Gallery's website & win some Jubilee goodies!
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We are extremely saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. A figurehead of stability, hope and kindness, Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-serving British monarch.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Royal Family, with the nation sharing in their grief.
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Ahead of
@England
’s
#Euro2020
match, we’re excited to announce 3 portraits of
@MarcusRashford
have joined our Collection. Photographs by
@misanharriman
taken for the September cover of
@BritishVogue
with model & activist Adwoa Aboah, and Elliott Morgan’s portrait for
@BritishGQ
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“I’m naturally drawn to something that I feel is a bit more real” Phil Sharp reflects on his portrait of One Direction star
#LouisTomlinson
.
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018 is on until 27 January, book now:
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204
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"After all this time?"
"Always."
Today's portrait celebrates actor and director Alan Rickman, on what would have been his 76th birthday
📸 Alan Rickman by Trevor Leighton, 24 January 1992 © Trevor Leighton / National Portrait Gallery, London
#OnThisDay
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Remembered for his iconic performances and distinctive voice – Alan Rickman was born
#OnThisDay
in 1946.
📸 ️ Alan Rickman by Trevor Leighton, 1992 © Trevor Leighton / National Portrait Gallery, London
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What a purrrfect day to show off one of our favourite portraits! For
#InternationalCatDay
today we're sharing Sam Pelly's delightful portrait of writer and illustrator Judith Kerr (with her cat Katinka), best known for her 17-book series ‘
#Mog
' and ‘
#TheTigerWhoCametoTea
’.
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Happy Birthday to musician, singer and songwriter for
#Blur
and co-founder of
#Gorillaz
,
@Damonalbarn
! This photograph was taken by
#NeilDrabble
in 1994, the same year Blur would release their chart-topping album Parklife. What is your favourite track?
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"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."
Emily Brontë, English author and poet, was born
#onthisday
in 1818.
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In celebration of the
#HoldStill2020
publication, the project has taken over the iconic big screen at Piccadilly Circus until 16 May.
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“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem & smarter than you think.”
We're celebrating
#WinnieThePoohDay
with this photo of writer A.A. Milne with his son Christopher & the original Pooh Bear.
📸 A.A.Milne, Christopher Robin Milne by Howard Coster, 1926 ©NPG
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Happy Birthday to Dame Maggie Smith 🎉🎈
Famous for roles in Downtown Abbey, Harry Potter, and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Smith has graced both stage and screen.
Do you have a favourite Maggie Smith character?
🎨 Maggie Smith by James Lloyd, 2012 © NPG
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We were delighted to welcome The Duchess of Cambridge to the Gallery’s Heinz Archive and Library to mark the release of the Hold Still publication 📚
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"Who wants to be normal when you can be unique?"
Wishing Helena Bonham Carter a very happy birthday 🎉
📷 Helena Bonham Carter by Trevor Leighton © Trevor Leighton / National Portrait Gallery, London
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Sir Michael ‘Parky’ Parkinson 🧡 1935-2023
🎨 by Jonathan Yeo, 2010 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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To celebrate the publication of Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2021 we are delighted to share with you a series of telephone calls that The Duchess of Cambridge held with participants from the project.
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"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
Known for her talent, style and humanitarian work, Audrey Hepburn was born
#onthisday
.
📸 Audrey Hepburn by Bassano Ltd, 1951 © NPG, London
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This painting is the only surviving group portrait of the Brontë sisters - Anne, Emily and Charlotte. There's also another Brontë sibling hidden in this portrait, with it believed that Patrick Branwell Brontë painted himself out.
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This month we're celebrating healthcare heroes, many of whom were featured in our
#HoldStill
project, which created a collective portrait of the UK during lockdown.
Today we're reflecting on those stories, with it being one year since our
#HoldStill
book was released.
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"I don't care what people think about me. Never did, never will. Life is too short to be worrying about that."
Amy Winehouse was born
#onthisday
in 1983.
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“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
#JaneAusten
was born
#onthisday
in 1775. Who is your favourite Austen character?
✏️Jane Austen by Cassandra Austen, circa 1810
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Do you think this is enough roses for
#ValentinesDay
? 🌹💘
We're taking our inspiration for today from the Pet Shop Boys, who are putting our bouquet of roses to shame...
📸Pet Shop Boys (Neil Tennant; Chris Lowe) by Eric Watson, 1990 © Pet Shop Boys Partnership Ltd
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This incredible hand-painted mural of the portrait, Melanie, March 2020 by Johannah Churchill is on display in Manchester’s Northern quarter as part of the
#HoldStill2020
community exhibition, supported by
@coopuk
. Discover more & find your nearest display
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Born
#OnThisDay
in 1934, Dame Maggie Smith is one of England’s most iconic actors. This portrait and 138,000 others are included in our print-on-demand service.
Order yours now 🏹
🎨 Maggie Smith by James Lloyd, 2012© NPG London
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Have you ever found a painting folded up on top of your wardrobe? That's exactly how this portrait was discovered 🎨🖌️
For today's
#portraitoftheday
, we're spotlighting the Brontë family, with this image being the only surviving group portrait of the three sisters.
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This portrait was released last year to mark the Princess’s 40th birthday. Since entering our Collection, it has toured the country as part of our Coming Home project – to Berkshire, St Andrews and Anglesey, three places that have a special connection to Her Royal Highness.
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“Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.”
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, best known for her gothic masterpiece Frankenstein, was born
#onthisday
1797.
🎨 Mary Shelley by Richard Rothwell, exhibited 1840 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
Born
#onthisday
in 1854 was author, playwright and poet, Oscar Wilde.
📸Oscar Wilde by Napoleon Sarony, 1882 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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#HappyBirthday
to Olivia Colman. From 'The Peep Show' to 'The Crown', the much-loved actor has captivated audiences with her brilliant performances – Do you have a Favourite? ⭐
📷 by Hana Knizova, 16 October 2014© National Portrait Gallery, London
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Tickets for our First Look Festival are now live 🎉 with a special headline in-conversation event with
@PaulMcCartney
.
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Excited to announce that next month we relaunch as the National Landscape Gallery! Today we begin the process of turning all portraits 90°.
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Known as the 'Chameleon of Pop', singer, songwriter, actor and performer, David Bowie was born
#onthisday
in 1947.
📸 David Bowie by David Wedgbury, 1966 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
Novelist Emily Brontë was born
#onthisday
in 1818.
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"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful."
Happy Birthday to girls' education activist
@Malala
, who was born
#onthisday
in 1997 🎈
📸 Malala Yousafzai by Shirin Neshat, 2018 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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We are delighted to announce the Gallery’s portrait of wartime hero
#AlanTuring
will appear on the Bank of England’s new £50.
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⭐️We’re almost there⭐️ Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation 2020 is available to buy from tomorrow (Friday 7 May)
#HoldStill2020
➡️
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“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
Charlotte Brontë, born # OnThisDay in 1816, was a writer whose novels challenged Victorian norms on love and desire.
⭐ You can see this portrait in Room 21 on Floor 2 ⭐
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We're bringing a pop of colour to your evening, courtesy of Madame Yevonde❤️
This portrait of actress Joan Maude was taken in 1932 by Yevonde, an innovator who was committed to colour photography before it was seen as a serious medium.
📸Joan Maude by Madame Yevonde, 1932 ©NPG
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“I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk."
We're wishing a very happy birthday to actress Helena Bonham Carter 🎈🎉
📸Helena Bonham Carter by Trevor Leighton, 17 August 1993 © Trevor Leighton / NPG
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"I am a lover of truth, a worshipper of freedom, a celebrant at the altar of language and purity and tolerance." Happy Birthday to actor and writer
#StephenFry
, born
#onthisday
1957
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‘As a woman, I have no country. As a woman I want no country. As a woman my country is the whole world.’ Novelist, critic and central figure in the
#Bloomsburygroup
of writers,
#VirginiaWoolf
was born
#OnThisDay
1882. See this portrait on display in Room 29 of the Gallery
#free
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Creator of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien was born
#onthisday
in 1892.
The Lord of the Rings has previously been voted the greatest book of the 20th century ✏️ Are you a fan of the series?
📸J.R.R. Tolkien by John Wyatt, 1968 © reserved; collection NPG
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#HappyBirthday
to Dame Maggie Smith! From Othello to Harry Potter, the Oscar winner has taken on some of the most iconic roles throughout her career. What’s your favourite film she’s featured in?
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"If only life could be a little more tender and art a little more robust." Actor and director,
#AlanRickman
was born
#onthisday
1946. Famed for his roles in
#DieHard
,
#RobinHood
and more recently, as Severus Snape in
@jk_rowling
's
#HarryPotter
series. Do you have a favourite?
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“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”
Malala Yousafzai, activist and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, was born
#onthisday
in 1997.
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Believed to have been lost, this painting of sisters Anne, Emily and Charlotte Brontë was discovered in 1914, folded up on top of a wardrobe. A reminder to always check the top of the cupboards...
🎨 The Brontë Sisters by Patrick Branwell Brontë, circa 1834 © NPG
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Our closure for redevelopment has enabled us to treat some of the portraits in our Collection that typically hang on our Gallery walls 🖌️
One of the paintings our conservation team has been treating is of Katherine Parr, who was the sixth wife of Henry VIII.
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"If only life could be a little more tender and art a little more robust." Actor and director,
#AlanRickman
was born
#onthisday
1946. Famed for his roles in
#DieHard
,
#RobinHood
and more recently, as Severus Snape in
@jk_rowling
's
#HarryPotter
series. Do you have a favourite?
36
102
395