
The National Portrait Gallery holds the most extensive collection of portraits in the world. It was the first portrait gallery in the world when it opened in 1856. The gallery houses portraits of historically important and famous British people, selected on the basis of the significance of the sitter, not that of the artist. The collection includes photographs and caricatures as well as paintings, drawings and sculpture. One of its best-known images is the Chandos portrait, the most famous portrait of William Shakespeare although there is some uncertainty about whether the painting actually is of the playwright.
The Gallery is closed until Spring 2023.
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News and Articles

Global Art World And National Portrait Gallery
In the global art world, the National Portrait Gallery in London is unique, the quasi-imperial expression of a British identity. These days, directing such an institution requires a certain kind of stamina and cool.
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Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition
Occurring every three years, the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition has showcased the work of numerous African American artists and Racial Justice are Popular Subjects at Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition.
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David Hockney: Drawing from Life review
When it comes to wielding a pencil, an etching needle or just a felt pen, David Hockney has no rivals. Lucian Freud’s etchings bore me senseless, Francis Bacon barely doodled, but Hockney is a graphic master.
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