Tony Benn
6 of 12 portraits by Humphrey Ocean
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Tony Benn
by Humphrey Ocean
oil on canvas, 1996
41 in. x 32 1/8 in. (1041 mm x 816 mm)
Commissioned, 1996
Primary Collection
NPG 6371
Sitterback to top
- Anthony Wedgwood ('Tony') Benn (1925-2014), Politician; Chairman of the Labour Party. Sitter in 26 portraits.
Artistback to top
- Humphrey Ocean (Humphrey Anthony Erdeswick Butler-Bowdon) (1951-), Painter. Artist or producer of 12 portraits, Sitter in 4 portraits.
This portraitback to top
Tony Benn gave the artist ten sittings between January and April 1996. Depicted behind him on the studio wall are other paintings by Humphrey Ocean.
Linked publicationsback to top
- Ribeiro, Aileen, The Gallery of Fashion, 2000, p. 248
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 49
Events of 1996back to top
Current affairs
The largest ever IRA bomb is detonated in Manchester causing the destruction of many buildings and over 200 injuries. Nobody died in the incident because a warning was given and the area evacuated. After the bombing much of Manchester was rebuild and in 1998 it won a successful bid to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games.Prince Charles and Princess Diana finalise their divorce after four years of separation.
Art and science
The Spice Girls enjoy massive popular success with their first single Wannabe going straight to Number 1. The group are remembered as much for their sassy, outspoken 'girl power' attitude and their continuing subsequent celebrity as for their music.Danny Boyle tells the story of a group of Edinburgh heroin addicts in his critically acclaimed film version of Irvine Welsh's novel Trainspotting.
International
The First Chechnya War breaks out between Chechnya and Russia when Russian forces invade the country in support of Chechnyan opposition to the government. The invasion went badly with strong Chechnyan resistance and dissent in the Russian command. However, a truce was finally established after Russia seized the capital Grozny. More than 46,000 people died as a result of the conflict.Comments back to top
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