Essential Information
| Type | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and Times | Throughout June and July | See below for details |
Discover the third largest collection of painted, drawn and sculpted portraits in the UK, here at Royal Museums Greenwich.
Royal Museums Greenwich is taking part in 'Portrait Mode' with the National Portrait Gallery throughout June and July. The National Portrait Gallery is encouraging everyone to get into 'Portrait Mode' this summer to mark the reopening of the Gallery on 22 June following a major transformation project.
To celebrate, we will be holding a programme of events dedicated to the theme of portraiture. A series of talks in the galleries of the Queen’s House will explain the meaning of common symbols found in our portraits, from crowns, globes and swords to uniforms, medals and even sailors’ trousers!
There will also be an opportunity to see portraits behind-the-scenes in a special tour of The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre, our state-of-the-art conservation and storage facility.
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Our portrait collection
Strengths of our collection include naval and royal portraits, but there are also many unexpected gems.
These portraits have much to tell us about Britain’s history as a maritime power and about the individual experiences of servicemen and their families. Many are also innovative and important works of art. They have forged, reinforced and challenged ideas of gender, heroism and loyalty. They have functioned as icons of empire, demonstrations of professionalism and personal mementos for loved ones.
Our event programme
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Meet the Experts: Portraiture and Paperwork
Wednesday 14 June | 1pm–1.30pm | Queen’s House | FREE
Peek inside an admiral's cabin in this lunchtime talk about a masterpiece of 18th-century British art.
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Meet the Experts: Faces of War
Wednesday 28 June | 1pm–1.30pm | Queen’s House | FREE
Explore how sailors were depicted during World War I and World War II in this lunchtime talk about official war art.
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Meet the Experts: A Portrait of the Pacific
Wednesday 12 July | 1pm–1.30pm | Queen’s House | FREE
Pacific Islanders feature prominently in landscape paintings by 18th-century artist William Hodges, but how were their images manipulated to suit British tastes? Join this free lunchtime talk to find out.
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Delve Deeper: Forgotten Faces
Thursday 27 July | 7pm–8.30pm | The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre | £20 (Adults) / £10 (Members)
To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birth of portrait painter Sir Joshua Reynolds, curator Dr Katherine Gazzard will highlight some key works from his career within the Museum's collections. She will also look at the work of his great rival, Thomas Gainsborough.
During the tour, you will meet Paintings Conservation Manager, Miranda Brain. Miranda will talk about the processes and techniques that herself and her team use to preserve the paintings in the collection. You will even get the chance to see a very important painting undergoing treatment!
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About 'Portrait Mode'
The National Portrait Gallery is encouraging everyone to get into 'Portrait Mode' across June and July 2023 to mark the reopening of the Gallery on 22 June following a major transformation project.
Activity across the UK and internationally will highlight the amazing range of portraits on show in collections, galleries and other spaces, showcase great artists past and present and inspire people to get creative and share their own portraits.
Find out more at npg.org.uk/portraitmode
What’s On
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