Eleanor ('Nell') Gwyn

Sitterback to top

• Eleanor ('Nell') Gwyn (1651?-1687), Actress; mistress of Charles II. Sitter associated with 28 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Simon Verelst (circa 1644-circa 1710). Artist associated with 7 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Pepys wrote in his diary, 'Up, it being a fine day: and after doing a little business in my chamber, I left my wife to go abroad... and saw pretty Nelly standing at her lodgings door in Drury-lane in her smock-sleeves and bodice.' May 1st 1667.

Linked publicationsback to top

• Gibson, Robin, Treasures from the National Portrait Gallery, 1996, p. 47
• Macleod, Catharine; Alexander, Julia Marciari, Painted Ladies: Women at the Court of Charles II, 2001 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 11 October 2001 to 6 January 2002), p. 170
• Perry, Gill (introduction) Roach, Joseph (appreciation) and West, Shearer (appreciation), The First Actresses: Nell Gwyn to Sarah Siddons, 2011 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 20 October 2011 to 8 January 2012), p. 34
• Piper, David, Catalogue of Seventeenth Century Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery, 1625-1714, 1963, p. 149
• Ribeiro, Aileen, The Gallery of Fashion, 2000, p. 85
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 269
• Williamson, David, The National Portrait Gallery: History of the Kings and Queens of England, 1998, p. 118
• Williamson, David, Kings and Queens, 2010, p. 116

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• The First Actresses: Nell Gwyn to Sarah Siddons (20 October 2011 - 8 January 2012)

Subjects & Themesback to top

• Actresses tour
• On display at the Gallery