National Portrait Gallery

10/10/2026

Sir Anthony Van Dyck... and his sunflower frame 🌻

Today’s is a self-portrait by the artist Sir Anthony Van Dyck. One of three known portraits painted by Van Dyck whilst he was in England, it probably dates from the last years of his life. The frame of this painting is adorned with a gold sunflower, a motif associated with the artist indicating his allegiance to the king, the frame was likely designed with the artist’s involvement.

This portrait was purchased with the support of gifts in Wills.

🎨 by Sir Anthony van Dyck, circa 1640 © National Portrait Gallery, London

09/10/2026

Step into Tim Walker’s fantastical world 🌟

Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends is now OPEN. Walker has spent the past five years photographing activists, performers, artists, and writers from across the Q***r community. Featuring unsung heroes and celebrated icons, this exhibition is a riot of colour, celebration and joy.

Open until 7 February 2027.

https://youtu.be/8c_4ODQIlGM?si=yE0ojJW12QPqjW_R

🎥 Sam Sterland

This exhibition takes visitors on a journey into Walker’s inner wor...

08/10/2026

All new winter events now live ❄️

Discover the best in contemporary portrait photography with the 2026 Winston Taylor Photo Portrait Prize.

Explore q***r identities, communities and perspectives through the lens of renowned photographer Tim Walker in Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends, and an associated programme featuring Labi Siffre, Lady Phyll and more.

Hone skills, start hobbies and revisit history with practical workshops, photography masterclasses and dedicated talks, including an in conversations with Bella Freud and Sam Taylor-Johnson.

All events can be booked here: https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/events-calendar

📸 Surface by Ron Timehin from the series We Who Belong, 2025 © Ron Timehin 📸 Harry Keita as Delphinium Fairy, London, 2022 © Tim Walker

07/10/2026

Did you know... this portrait was painted in 1711 to commemorate the completion of St Paul’s Cathedral 🏛️

The sitter in this portrait and architect of St Paul’s, Sir Christopher Wren, was 79 when the Cathedral was completed. There are clues throughout the painting that allude to his achievement, how many can you spot?

🎨 Sir Christopher Wren by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt, 1711 © National Portrait Gallery, London

06/10/2026

Celebrating Q***r activism, community and love – of course there is going to be colour 🌈

Join us behind-the-scenes in Tim Walker’s Fairyland: Love and Legends.

The exhibition opens this Friday 9 October, book your tickets now.

06/10/2026

A new discovery from the archives is now on display ✍️

Join Assistant Curator Luke as he tells the story of Phillis Wheatley.

This portrait was discovered through the Gallery’s Archive Survey Project, in which volunteers work alongside curators to explore the NPG’s archive and identify historical portraits of people of colour. Their work helps us better understand the histories of these sitters and celebrate their achievements.  

🎨 Phillis Wheatley published by Archibald Bell, 1773 © National Portrait Gallery, London

05/10/2026

A shout-out to all teachers out there! 🙌

This , we want to thank all the teachers who are part of NPG Schools and welcome new ones! We offer free CPD opportunities for teachers all year round - explore Schools hub to find out more and discover new ways to incorporate portraiture into your teaching.

Click the link to find out more:

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04/10/2026

You picked Turning Thirteen by Frances Bell as this year's Visitor Choice winner!

Followed by Genealogical Deformation by Algirdas and Remigijus Gataveckas, and Madonna and Child by Frances Featherstone. Congratulations to all the artists in this year's Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award.

It's your last chance to see this free exhibition on Floor 2, which closes on 7 October 2026

🎨Turning Thirteen, 2025 by Frances Bell 🎨 Genealogical Deformation, 2025 by Algirdas and Remigijus Gataveckas 🎨 [Detail] Madonna and Child, 2026 by Frances Featherstone

03/10/2026

Discover the artist Pauline Boty when she was young and in love 💘

Photographed by her boyfriend at the time, David Cripps, in this intimate series, Boty is confident and charismatic, donning a 1960s beehive hairstyle, a Bardot dress, and winged eyeliner.

During this period, Boty won a scholarship to attend art school to study stained glass, as evidenced by her famous self-portrait in the same medium, already in our Collection. The earliest of these 35mm slides were made when she was a student of the Royal College of Art – where Boty met Cripps.

This collection of images has now been acquired into our Collection. Read more here: https://www.npg.org.uk/blog/blog-container/pauline-boty-another-look

📸 Pauline Boty by David Cripps c.1959-60 © David Cripps

03/10/2026

'I do feel that I can stand up in the National Portrait Gallery and say ‘Thank you’ to whatever the Establishment is. Thank you for letting me shine a light on all these incredible people. Because if I was that little boy being taken to this exhibition, everything would have been different.'

Tim Walker's Fairyland: Love and Legends opens next week on Friday 9 October 2026. Have you planned your visit yet?

https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2026/tim-walkers-fairyland-love-and-legends

📸Tim Walker with Fairies, London, 2026 © Tim Walker