Imagined Lives: portraits of unknown people
3 December 2011 - 1 July 2012
Room 33
Free
Unknown woman, formerly known as Mary, Queen of Scots
by Unknown artist
circa 1570
NPG 96
This display looks in detail at fourteen portraits of people whose identities are uncertain. Dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, these portraits were once thought to depict famous sitters including Queen Elizabeth I, the young pretender to the throne Lady Arabella Stuart, and the poet and courtier Sir Thomas Overbury. These identities, however, have long since been disputed. New research, undertaken in part by MA students from the University of Bristol, is presented alongside the portraits. The likelihood of previously given identities is assessed and, in some cases, new identities are suggested.
Inspired by these mystery portraits, internationally renowned authors John Banville, Tracy Chevalier, Julian Fellowes, Alexander McCall Smith, Terry Pratchett, Sarah Singleton, Joanna Trollope and Minette Walters have imagined what the lives of these sitters might have been like. Their fictional biographies and character sketches accompany the exhibition and can also be purchased together in a fully illustrated paperback available from the Gallery bookshop and online shop.
Read extracts from the Imagined Lives publication
Imagined Lives podcast
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Listen to extracts on the Imagined Lives podcastEight internationally acclaimed authors have invented imaginary biographies and character sketches based on fourteen unidentified portraits. Who are these men and women, why were they painted, and why do they now find themselves in the Collection of the National Portrait Gallery? With fictional letters, diaries, mini-biographies and memoirs, Imagined Lives creates vivid stories about these unknown sitters from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Courtesy of the National Trust |
Imagined Lives story competition
Unknown man, formerly known as George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
attributed to Cornelius De Neve
1627
NPG 1346
To enter send your completed story to story@npg.org.uk. Please include a title and indicate which portrait of an Unknown man/woman your story is based upon.
Your story should be no longer than 300 words and the closing date is 22 July 2012.
You will automatically be entered into a monthly prize draw to win an Imagined Lives book. One winner will be drawn at random on the last day of each month until June 2012. Winners will be notified by email the following month.
If you do NOT want your story to be displayed in the Gallery or on the website please include ‘DO NOT PUBLISH’ in the title.
If you do not want to be entered into the prize draw please write ‘NO PRIZE DRAW’ in the email title.
Data Protection Act: The Gallery is committed to protecting your privacy. All personal data given will be held securely by the Gallery and only used to administer your prize draw entry unless otherwise indicated. It may also be used for internal research/statistical purposes. It will not be passed to any third parties.
