National Portrait Gallery

27/08/2026

This portrait was painted on the sitter's third and final voyage ⚓

Today’s is of James Cook, who circumnavigated the globe leading three voyages of scientific discovery between 1768 and 1779. His expeditions initiated future generations of British colonisation in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, in which many Indigenous people lost their lands and lives.

🎨 James Cook by John Webber, 1776 © National Portrait Gallery, London

26/08/2026

Who's your idol?

There are plenty of portraits to pick from in our Collection, but here’s Rob Bryden’s choice 😊

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYtWYNYSitc

📸 Barry Humphries by Lord Snowdon. Given by Antony Charles Robert Armstrong Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, 2013 © Armstrong Jones
🎥 and featuring for

This Celebration Day we remember the people who made us who we are ...

26/08/2026

Can you guess the breed of dog in this portrait? 🐕

This International Dog Day, we’re highlighting a portrait of Mary of Modena with her pet pooch. She was the daughter of an Italian duke and went on to become the second wife of James, Duke of York (later James II). Mary originally wanted to become a nun but was persuaded by Pope Clement X that her energy would be better spent supporting Catholicism in Britain. Find this portrait in Room 7 on Floor 3.

🎨 Mary of Modena by Willem Wissing, circa 1685 © National Portrait Gallery, London

22/08/2026

Is anyone else longing for a change in season? 🥶

Today’s features a sitter who ventured to some of the coldest parts of the globe... Arctic explorer, diplomat, and Royal Navy Officer, Sir John Ross made his first voyage in search of the Northwest Passage to China in 1818. However, it took him a few goes... On his first attempt, Ross turned back as he believed his path was blocked by mountains – which were later revealed to be a mere optical illusion.

Find this portrait in Room 18 on Floor 3.

🎨 Sir John Ross by James Green, 1833 © National Portrait Gallery, London

19/08/2026

Why not step into the World of Marilyn?

Here are just some of the iconic images you will see in Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait this World Photography Day.

Advanced booking recommended. Weekend tickets are selling fast.

Plan your visit here: https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2026/marilyn-monroe-a-portrait

📸 Marilyn Monroe™; Rights of Publicity and Persona Rights are used with permission of The Estate of Marilyn Monroe LLC. Photo by Sam Shaw © 2026 Shaw Family Archives 📸 Joy (Marilyn Monroe), near Malibu, California, 1946 by André de Dienes © André de Dienes / MUUS Collection 📸 Marilyn Monroe 'Ballerina' sitting, 1954 by Milton H. Greene © MHG Collective, LLC 📸 Marilyn Monroe on the set of The Seven-Year Itch, New York, 1954. Photo by Sam Shaw © 2026 Sam Shaw Inc 📸 Marilyn Monroe, Mount Sinai, Long Island, 1955 by Eve Arnold © Eve Arnold Estate

18/08/2026

NPG 1 has come home ❤️

After traveling as part of the touring exhibition Writer's Revealed, Shakespeare's last stop included Shanghai where he was seen by 1,716,709 visitors.

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, but came to London to develop his career, first as an actor and then as a playwright for public theatres and the royal court. The publication of Shakespeare’s plays in the ‘First Folio’ in 1623 helped cement the idea that scripts were not just ephemeral and easily replaced, but lasting works.

Come and see this portrait, back on display in Room 3, on Floor 3 of the Gallery.

Explore more in Stories - Brought to Life at Frameless, an immersive experience now available during their lates on Friday & Saturday until 5 September. Become a Member and receive a 20% discount. https://brnw.ch/21x50XM

🎨 William Shakespeare associated with John Taylor, circa 1610 © National Portrait Gallery, London

17/08/2026

A self-portrait with a view 🪟

Artists have long been compelled by the desire to represent themselves, but have you ever considered self-portraiture as a powerful tool in self-exploration? Colin Moss was a British artist born in Ipswich who, during World War Two, worked as a camouflage designer.

Discover this new acquisition and more in our new display in Room 29 on Floor 1 of the National Portrait Gallery.

🎨 Colin Moss ('Inward Looking') by Colin Moss, 1966 © National Portrait Gallery, London

16/08/2026

‘Stripes’ by Doris Rose is a portrait that attempts to express the artist’s experiences living with chronic migraine.

The work is painted in oil on copper that creates a warm luminosity, catching and reflecting light differently as the viewer moves around the painting. Through experimenting with motion blur, multiple exposures, soft focus and layering of the paint, Doris captures a feeling of inner overwhelm.

Come and see this portrait on display in the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2026, until 7 October: https://brnw.ch/21x4YbO

🎨 Stripes, 2025 by Doris Rose © Doris Rose

15/08/2026

Did you know that Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was just five when he began playing the violin? 🎻

Born in 1875, he would go on to join the Royal College of Music and came to prominence in 1898 at the Gloucester Festival. Best known for his acclaimed trilogy ‘Hiawatha's Wedding Feast’, Coleridge-Taylor integrated elements of African and gospel music into his later compositions which often explored anti-colonialist themes. By his death in 1912 he was both a renowned composer and a symbol of hope and achievement for People of Colour around the world.

🎨 Samuel Coleridge-Taylor by Walter Wallis, 1881 © National Portrait Gallery, London