National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery is an art gallery in London that houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. When it opened in 1856, it was arguably the first national public gallery in the world that was dedicated to portraits.

Current Exhibition
Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting
June 20 - September 7

The prestigious painting competition returns in 2025 to celebrate the very best in contemporary portraiture

Forthcoming Events

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2025
10 July - 12 October 2025
The prestigious painting competition returns in 2025 to celebrate the very best in contemporary portraiture

Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World
9 October 2025 - 11 January 2026
Renowned as a fashion illustrator, Oscar-winning costume designer, social caricaturist and writer, Cecil Beaton was an extraordinary force in the 20th-century

Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2025
13 November 2025 - 8 February 2026
The Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize showcases the work of talented young photographers, gifted amateurs and established professionals 

County