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	Primary Collection
A pastel portrait of Elizabeth Bannister by John Russell, 1799	Introduction The Primary Collection contains more than 11,000 portraits. Of these about 4,000 are paintings, sculptures and miniatures, approaching 60% of which are regularly displayed, with the intention to show a further selection. In addition, there are almost 7,000 light-sensitive works on paper, shown on a rotating basis of about 300 items a year to avoid excessive light exposure and thus to minimise deterioration and fading. The Gallery also holds a Reference Collection, made up of an Archive Collection and a Photographs Collection.
William Shakespeare, attributed to John Taylor, circa 1610 The first portrait (NPG 1) to enter the Primary Collection	Purpose The concept of a Primary Collection of paintings, sculpture, miniatures, etc., and a Reference Collection or study collection of prints, was established immediately following the Gallery's foundation in 1856. These collections were later extended to include photographs. The collections fulfil two enduring functions: to display portraits of the Nation's great men and women to act as a national focus for the study and understanding of portraits and portraiture.
Sir Ian McKellen by Clive Smith, 2002 Commissioned after Clive Smith was awarded first prize in the 1999 BP Portrait Award	Collecting policy The Gallery acquires portraits from the life in all media, whether by purchase, bequest or gift, of the most eminent persons in British history from the earliest times to the present day. Since 1980 the Gallery has also commissioned portraits. Acquisitions are subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees which meets four times a year. The Gallery's formal collecting policy is set out in the Acquisition and Disposal policy.
The Arctic Council planning a search for Sir John Franklin by Stephen Pearce, 1851 One of over 130 portraits on display at Bodelwyddan Castle, Nr Rhyl, Wales, one of the Gallery's three regional partnerships	Display Portraits are displayed at more than one location: Portraits on display at the National Portrait Gallery Portraits on display around the country Portraits on display around the world
Lady Ottoline Morrell by Henry Lamb, circa 1912	Access All the portraits in the Primary Collection are accessible on the website in the search mechanism, Search the Gallery's collections. Those wishing to see paintings and other portraits in the Primary Collection not on display, or to consult the records of the collection, should contact the Collections Manager in writing. Normally items not on display can readily be made available for viewing.
The CD-ROM of the Primary Collection of 10,000 portraits	Information on the collection Further information can be obtained from a number of sources: The Complete Illustrated Catalogue of the collection Order the CD-ROM, funded by the Woodward Charitable Trust, and use it to search the collections try the Portrait Explorer in the IT Gallery when visiting the National Portrait Gallery try the Audio Guide when visiting the National Portrait Gallery obtain a photograph from the Portrait Printer, either by e-mail or when visiting the National Portrait Gallery Consult our catalogues for further information as listed in the catalogue bibliography Consult the list of Recent Acquisitions and the Annual Review
Christopher Anstey with his daughter, Mary by William Hoare, circa 1776-1778 One of over 550 portraits featured in the catalogue Mid-Georgian Portraits	Current developments We have an active policy of adding to the collection and of making it more widely available. A new edition of the hardback volume, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, containing summary information with illustrations of the whole collection was published in 2004. A new detailed catalogue by John Ingamells, Mid-Georgian Portraits, covering the late eighteenth century collection has been published, researched with the generous support of the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. A further programme of digitisation and making portraits available on the Internet and at the Gallery on the Portrait Explorer is in progress. Further collection catalogues, devoted to later Stuart and later Victorian portraits are planned for 2009.

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