Following a 10-year campaign, Queen Victoria finally approved the establishment of a national portrait gallery in 1856. Since then, the National Portrait Gallery has amassed more than 220,000 portraits. Reopening last year after a three-year-long closure, the collection was redeveloped to better represent the diverse people and stories that define 21st century Britain.
Learn a little more about the history of our latest Walpole member, alongside its intentions for the new era, in our interview with the National Portrait Gallery team...
Walpole: Tell us about the history of your brand…
National Portrait Gallery: We were founded in 1856, after a 10-year campaign for a national portrait gallery by Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope, Thomas Babington Macaulay and Thomas Carlyle. The campaign finally received approval from Queen Victoria. In the two centuries since, we have accumulated over 220,000 portraits in a wide variety mediums.
What is your brand best known for?
The National Portrait Gallery is filled with the people, portraits and the life stories of a nation. The Primary Collection of paintings, sculpture, miniatures, drawings, prints, photographs, silhouettes and mixed/new media works contains portraits of the most important people in British history and culture from the 8th century to the present day.
What has been a significant achievement in your company’s timeline?
Following a three-year closure and major redevelopment, we officially re-opened on Thursday 22nd June 2023 with a campaign that achieved extraordinary public engagement. Our mission was to transform the gallery’s building, to re-present its collection in a more inclusive narrative and to redefine our brand as a living portrait of Britain.
The redevelopment project, entitled 'Inspiring People' has brought to life the collection and our spaces for 21st century audiences. The FT named the reopening as one of "the best art exhibitions of 2023," exclaiming that "the transformation of the once-fusty NPG into an engaging, spirited, must-see museum is London’s triumph of 2023."
Since reopening, we have welcomed over one million visitors and delivered a remarkable exhibition programme, including Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm, Yevonde: Life and Colour, David Hockney: Drawing from Life and the returning Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize. Defining and launching this new era of the NPG has been an extraordinary moment for us and we believe it sets a precedence for an incredibly promising future.
Why do you love the brand?
Our brand presents a living portrait of Britain that inspires connections with people across the world. We tell the story of Britain through portraits, using art both to bring history to life and to explore the living today. From local champions to global icons, national treasures to unsung heroes, our collection is filled with the surprising and inspiring stories that have shaped – and continue to shape – a nation. Our collection is unique as all visitors, of all ages and backgrounds, can find something to relate to through the people and stories we present.
Why does your brand represent the very best in British luxury?
As a national institution, we are one of the most prestigious galleries in the country with a collection that features globally recognised British icons. Our building, located at the heart of London, is now a fusion of heritage and contemporary architecture, offering exceptional spaces for the public to enjoy.
What attracted you to becoming a Walpole member?
Our desire to connect with like-minded members who value history, art and British culture and can help us add value to our programmes through creative partnerships.
If you could collaborate with another Walpole member, which one would you choose?
We would love to collaborate with so many of them! We think that both our international visitors and culturally curious domestic audiences would be interested in discovering hidden gems in the luxury travel and hospitality industries. Our varied collection and exhibition programme – presenting contemporary and historic works – can also be wonderfully animated with premium products. Our team can create tailored partnership opportunities that are mutually beneficial and that reflect the vision and values of fellow Walpole members.
Tell us about an exciting development or new launch for your brand in the coming months...
Our plans for 2024 and beyond are to build on the success of our reopening period and to continue to grow our audiences and partnerships in meaningful ways. We have a wonderfully varied exhibition programme, from Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens (opening in the summer) to Francis Bacon Portraits, launching later in October. Our engaging talks series, Late sessions and self-guided collection tours encourage audiences to return regularly and to enjoy all of our wonderful new galleries and hospitality spaces. Next month, we will see the long-awaited return of our exclusive and extraordinary fundraising event, The Portrait Gala. The event will feature a dazzling gallery-wide takeover of the most exceptional hospitality, alongside live entertainment and a silent auction of some truly unique products and experiences.
