Archive Journeys

For the first time, the National Portrait Gallery is starting to provide online access to parts of its fascinating Archive. These journeys focus on three remarkable periods in the Gallery’s history: the life and work of the first Director, Sir George Scharf, its wartime activities and digital ’60s.

Acquisition Histories

Acquisition Histories
Acquiring Portraits for the National Collection

The Gallery’s object files contain fascinating stories about the process of acquiring portraits for the collection. As part of a curatorial research project, a number of these stories have been investigated and revealed.
George Frederic Watts (1817-1904)

George Frederic Watts (1817-1904)
A Victorian Michelangelo

George Frederic Watts (1817-1904), British painter and sculptor was internationally renowned in the Victorian era. The Watts Archive of correspondence reflects the life and career of this great artist.
Sir George Scharf (1820-1895)

Sir George Scharf (1820-1895)
Father of the National Portrait Gallery and Victorian Socialite

Sir George Scharf was the Gallery’s first Director, appointed in 1857. Scharf’s extensive archive includes diaries, sketchbooks and a wealth of other material.
The National Portrait Gallery at War (1914-1918 and 1939-1945)

The National Portrait Gallery at War (1914-1918 and 1939-1945)
How the Gallery kept calm and carried on in wartime

During both the First and Second World Wars the Gallery was vulnerable to enemy attack and the portraits were evacuated. Documents and photographs in the National Portrait Gallery’s Archive bring this extraordinary period to life.
Digital ‘60s

Digital ‘60s
Digitising a decade of defining history at the National Portrait Gallery

The 1960s brought about a revolution at the National Portrait Gallery, from its first major temporary exhibition, to the changing of the ‘10 year rule’.