Canvas

Woven stretched cloth, usually made from linen but sometimes of cotton or man-made materials such as polyester, on which most oil paintings since the sixteenth century have been painted. Suitable also for acrylics, canvas is still a popular support even though it needs more careful preparation than most other materials used as painting surfaces. Oil paintings themselves are often called canvases.

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Queen Elizabeth I ('The Ditchley portrait'), by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, circa 1592 - NPG 2561 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

Queen Elizabeth I ('The Ditchley portrait')
by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger
circa 1592
NPG 2561

King Charles I, by Daniel Mytens, 1631 - NPG 1246 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

King Charles I
by Daniel Mytens
1631
NPG 1246

King William III, by Unknown artist, circa 1690 - NPG 1026 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

King William III
by Unknown artist
circa 1690
NPG 1026

Peter Pett, possibly after Sir Peter Lely, probably 18th century - NPG 1270 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

Peter Pett
possibly after Sir Peter Lely
probably 18th century
NPG 1270

King George IV, by Sir Thomas Lawrence, circa 1814 - NPG 123 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

King George IV
by Sir Thomas Lawrence
circa 1814
NPG 123

The Brontë Sisters, by Patrick Branwell Brontë, circa 1834 - NPG 1725 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

The Brontë Sisters
by Patrick Branwell Brontë
circa 1834
NPG 1725

Sir Anthony Panizzi, by George Frederic Watts, circa 1847 - NPG 1010 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

Sir Anthony Panizzi
by George Frederic Watts
circa 1847
NPG 1010

Gerald Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Baron Berners, by Reginald John ('Rex') Whistler, 1929 - NPG 5050 - © estate of Rex Whistler / DACS

Gerald Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Baron Berners
by Reginald John ('Rex') Whistler
1929
NPG 5050

Thomas Joseph Edmund Adès, by Philip Oliver Hale, 2002 - NPG 6619 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

Thomas Joseph Edmund Adès
by Philip Oliver Hale
2002
NPG 6619

Fiona Mary Shaw, by Victoria Kate Russell, 2002 - NPG 6609 - © National Portrait Gallery, London

Fiona Mary Shaw
by Victoria Kate Russell
2002
NPG 6609

Kenneth Arthur ('Ken') Dodd, by David Cobley, 2004 - NPG 6702 - © David Cobley / National Portrait Gallery, London

Kenneth Arthur ('Ken') Dodd
by David Cobley
2004
NPG 6702

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