National Portrait Gallery
@NPGLondon
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🎨 World's largest portrait Collection 🏠 Open daily 10.30-18.00 🌃 Friday & Saturday 10.30-21.00 🖼️ Visit #TheFace and #EdvardMunch
Joined November 2009
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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“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.”. Beatrix Potter, children's writer and illustrator, was born #onthisday in 1866. 🎨 by Delmar Banner, 1938 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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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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Our #PortraitoftheDay features record-breaking British rowers Helen Glover and Heather Mary Stanning. 📷 by James McNaught. Image by James McNaught
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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, 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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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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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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This #InternationalCatDay we're celebrating our feline friends with this joyous portrait of children's author Judith Kerr and her beloved cat Katinka. 📷 by Sam Pelly, March 2011 © Sam Pelly / National Portrait Gallery, London
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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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Artist Dame Laura Knight was born #onthisday in 1877, in Long Eaton, Derbyshire. 📷 by Bassano Ltd, 20 February 1936 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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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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The never-before-seen ‘Gloria’ (2023), a portrait depicting singer and songwriter @samsmith, is now on display in our ‘History Makers’ Gallery. 📷 'Gloria' (2023) by Pierre et Gilles, courtesy Galerie Templon
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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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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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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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Katherine Parr was Henry VIII's sixth and final wife and the first English woman to publish under her own name. See this work in #SixLives until 8 September and find out more with our Schools hub resource: 🎨 attributed to Master John, circa 1545 © NPG
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We are delighted that @JamieFobertArch’s reimagining of our Gallery has been shortlisted for the @RIBA Stirling Prize. Congratulations to all the shortlisted projects 🎉
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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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#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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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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"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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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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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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#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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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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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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"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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⭐️ Welcome back ⭐️ After a three-year transformation, the new National Portrait Gallery has now officially reopened 🎉 Come and say hi 👋
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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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"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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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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Queen Elizabeth I was born #OnThisDay in 1533. 📍 Find 'The Coronation portrait' on display in Room 1 on Floor 3. 🎨 Queen Elizabeth I by Unknown English artist, circa 1600 © NPG, 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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Emily Brontë was born #OnThisDay in 1818 and grew up in Yorkshire with a very literary family, she is best known for her gothic novel Wuthering Heights (1847). ⭐You can see this portrait in Room 21 on Floor 2. 🎨 by Patrick Branwell Brontë, circa 1833 © NPG, London
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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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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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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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"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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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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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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Francis Bacon: Human Presence is the Gallery’s first major exhibition of portraits by this important artist, bringing together rarely-seen works from private collections around the world. 📅 Open 10 October⭐Prebook today:
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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 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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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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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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In honour of #InternationalFriendshipDay, we are sharing sculptor Anne Seymour Damer, Elizabeth Lamb, Viscountess Melbourne, and Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire dressed as the Three Witches from Macbeth. 🎨 by Daniel Gardner, 1775 © National Portrait Gallery, London
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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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Tickets for our First Look Festival are now live 🎉 with a special headline in-conversation event with @PaulMcCartney.
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During August, our #PortraitOfTheDay series will focus on pets in portraits, starting with the music hall entertainer Maxwell George Lorimer and a cat named Onde. 🎨 by Maggi Hambling, 1981 © 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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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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Silent Testimony is a free display of eighteen large portraits by @colin_davidson highlighting the personal stories of those whose lives were impacted and continue to be affected by the Troubles, a 30-year period of conflict in Northern Ireland.
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