In the oldest painting at the National Portrait Gallery, we encounter a small depiction of Henry VII, painted by an anonymous artist. He gazes out from the safety of an alcove, exhibiting keen perception. Fast forward to the latest addition, Michael Armitage’s “John Barry, O Kelly, Sonny and Richard Moore”, where four Hackney dustmen diligently carry out their work during the lockdown. This painting, rendered in vibrant colors with a tapestry version from 2022, portrays them surfing on a maroon sea of rubbish, with a patient on a stretcher above and a pair of masks—one grinning, one doleful—below. It captures the essence of life’s tragicomedy. These paintings serve as our first introduction upon entering the newly transformed National Portrait Gallery (NPG), following its three-year closure.
Nicholas Cullinan, the director of the NPG, aims to create “a living portrait of Britain” within the confines of the nation’s most quintessentially Victorian museum. As we walk through the building prior to its reopening, Cullinan acknowledges that the NPG had acquired a reputation as “old and dusty, dark and boxed in.” However, instead of opting for a modernization overhaul, Cullinan chose to embrace “the integrity of the building” and restore its intricate 19th-century grandeur. The result is nothing short of spectacular—the elegant stone facade, patterned marble floors, and decorative glass all gleam with renewed life. Galleries have been opened up, forming splendid enfilades punctuated by ornamental arches.
With walls now repainted in “atomic red” and brilliant green, the museum bursts with vivacity while remaining true to its original purpose of showcasing a diverse range of humanity and individual characters. It rejects the notion of a hermetic white cube dedicated to abstraction. Previously boarded-up windows have been brought back to life, allowing natural light to bathe the space. At one high glass pane, leaves flutter against a backdrop where Oscar Wilde, draped in silk and velvet, languidly exudes an air of entitlement. In another corner, Audrey Hepburn steals glances at the street from the delightful rotunda café. Broad vistas invite the vibrant tapestry of London inside, as the NPG seeks to “show Britain in its diversity and complexity—creating room for everyone.”
Stepping through the bright new entrance by Orange Street, visitors are immersed in contemporary life, a juxtaposition of cultural beacons and refuse collectors. Lucy Jones’s vibrant fuchsia and turquoise portrait of bioethicist and disability campaigner Tom Shakespeare, titled “Intellect with Wheels,” emanates strength and cheerfulness. Alex Katz’s “Anna Wintour,” an iconic figure as the editor of Vogue, exudes minimalist coolness with its sun-bright depiction. Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis, at the age of 86, stands in denim shorts with arms outstretched in Peter Blake’s warm and comical portrayal.
The collection of contemporary portraits at the NPG represents the pinnacle of vibrancy and quality. The artists behind these works are at the top of their game. Their presence within the gallery elevates the overall atmosphere, honoring the NPG’s founding mission in 1856 to acquire portraits based on the celebrity of the sitter rather than the skill of the artist. While the collection is a mishmash of styles and periods, there are certain treasured and iconic pieces, such as the sole surviving representation of Shakespeare, a fragile and amateurish portrait of the Brontë sisters, and Nicholas Hilliard’s miniature of the dashing Walter Raleigh surrounded by lace. Alongside these, some modern masterpieces stand out, including Patrick Heron’s fractured depiction of T.S. Eliot and a haunting self-portrait by Lucian Freud.
When it comes to revitalizing and reinvigorating the NPG’s historic collection, Cullinan, who joined in 2015 after gathering experience as a curator at the Met and Tate, had a vision of inviting talented artists to portray prominent figures. If he could commission any artist to depict any subject, his choices were Shirin Neshat to portray Malala Yousafzai and Thomas Struth to photograph Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Queen Elizabeth II. Neshat’s striking black and white image captures the Pakistan-born Nobel Peace Prize laureate with a frontal stare, her face adorned with a poem in Arabic calligraphy—an encounter that explores the struggles of feminism versus Islam. Struth’s conceptualist photograph, set in a darkly receding Windsor Castle drawing room, beautifully balances familiarity and remoteness. Additionally, Raqib Shaw’s poignant painting, titled “The Final Submission in Fire and Ice,” depicts the artist in a stunning Kashmiri coat bursting into flames against a stylized snowy Himalayan backdrop. This painting encapsulates themes of loss, displacement, and the gripping experiences of exiles and refugees who call Britain their home.
The NPG’s unique strength lies in its dual interest in biography and art, which allows for a constantly evolving portrayal of the nation and those we choose to remember. The post-1900 collection boasts nearly half female subjects, highlighting the presence and contribution of women throughout history. One of the highlights is a photograph of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s protégée, who was born into slavery as Omoba Aina. Her determined yet wary expression as a young bride has become one of the most searched pictures in the collection. A centerpiece of the Victorian gallery is Joshua Reynolds’ life-size portrait of Mai, Britain’s first visitor from Tahiti. Mai, depicted as Apollo Belvedere in white robes and a shimmering turban, showcases a captivating blend of sensuality and serpentine grace among the conventional Georgian grandees, injecting the room with scintillating energy.
According to Cullinan, the painting of Mai by Joshua Reynolds is the most significant artwork in the NPG’s collection. Cullinan lingers over the refined details, admiring the lavish brushwork on Mai’s costume and the rush of clouds in the background. Mai’s presence and story in this painting hold immense importance—not only is he the first non-white sitter in Georgian London who has no connection to slavery, but he also symbolizes how British culture has been enriched through fusion with foreign people, ideas, and energies.
Cullinan sees the National Portrait Gallery as a distinctly British institution, embodying the concept that individual lives collectively form something greater. While it resonates with a sense of humility, it also manages to strike a balance between narratives of nationhood and serious art. The exhibition layout facilitates easy navigation, with select displays highlighting different mediums, such as miniatures, death masks, and sculptural busts, drawing attention to portraiture’s formal aspects. Chronology is presented straightforwardly, allowing visitors to flow seamlessly through the galleries. Captions remain neutral, devoid of political pressures that often plague other museums. Cullinan dismisses such distractions, emphasizing that the goal is to prepare the gallery for future generations and ensure its vitality for the next 25 years.
The National Portrait Gallery reopens on June 22nd. For more information, visit npg.org.uk.
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