Renowned as a fashion illustrator, Oscar-winning costume designer, social caricaturist and writer, Cecil Beaton – ‘The King of Vogue’ – was an extraordinary force in the 20-century British and ...

Find out what's on in our current and upcoming exhibitions, displays, events, programmes, workshops and more.

Southall's main body of work comprises highly crafted paintings of mythological and romantic subjects, though he was also an outstanding portrait and landscape artist. A visit to Italy in 1883 proved ...

Born in Oxford on 7 August 1826, Gilbert was one of eleven children of Ashurst Turner Gilbert, principal of Brasenose College, Oxford and afterwards bishop of Chichester and his wife Mary Anne.

Join our free monthly session for Under 5s. Explore the gallery and the collection with your family through stories, songs and making activities.

Featuring more than 50 works from the 1940s onwards, this exhibition explores Francis Bacon’s deep connection to portraiture and how he challenged traditional definitions of the genre. From his ...

Of Jewish Italian ancestry, Baron Sterling Henry Nahum was born in Manchester. He took up documentary film-making in 1933, before establishing a photographic studio three years later in London. He was ...

The uncle of Lewis Carroll. Lutwidge was Britain's Lunacy Commissioner from 1855 until his death in 1873, after his head was pierced by a large nail wielded by a patient.

Eleanor of Castile was the first queen consort of King Edward I. She was the daughter of King Ferdinand III of Castile and his wife, Joan of Ponthieu. In 1254 Eleanor was married to Lord Edward, son ...

Known as the 'Dancing Marquess', Henry Paget converted the chapel of Plas Newydd (renamed Anglesey Castle) into his own Gaiety Theatre. He squandered vast sums on the purchase of jewellery, luxurious ...

pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, November 16 1813 ...

The online database contains information on over 220,000 works, 150,000 of which are illustrated; the National Portrait Gallery's collection includes over 350,000 works. We update the database daily.