The National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 to collect the likenesses of famous British men and women. Today the collection is the most comprehensive of its kind in the world, and constitutes a unique record of the men and women who created (and are still creating) the history and culture of the nation. The Gallery houses a primary collection of over nine thousand works, as well as an immense archive. There is no restriction on medium - there are oil paintings, water-colours, drawings, miniatures, sculptures, caricatures, silhouettes and photographs. The Gallery continues to develop its role through its changing displays, a programme of international touring exhibitions, varied acquisitions and commissions, and an annual portrait competition for young artists. "Photograph copyright of Andrew Putler"