Slideshows: Spotlight on the Collection

Slideshows: Spotlight on the Collection

Slideshows: Spotlight on the Collection

Browse curated selections of photographs from the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection

The Photographs collection consists of more than 250,000 original photographic images of which at least 130,000 are original negatives. They date from the 1840s to the present day. View a unique series of photographs centred on particular sitters, photographers or themes.

Slideshows

Tinie Tempah by Nadav Kander NPG x134919
Garage & Grime Musicians

Gustav Holst
by Herbert Lambert
bromide print, 1921
NPG P109
Classical Music and the First World War

Albert Ball
by Argent Archer
circa 1915
NPG P657
For Valour: Recipients of the Victoria Cross, 1914 - 18

Edith Sitwell, by Cecil Beaton, 1930 - NPG P867 - © Cecil Beaton Studio Archive, Sotheby's London
Women Poets and Photography, 1860–1970

Lillah McCarthy in 'Twelfth Night' by Malcolm Arbuthnot NPG x128114 Lillah McCarthy in 'Twelfth Night', by Malcolm Arbuthnot, November 1912 - NPG x128114 - © estate of Malcolm Arbuthnot © estate of Malcolm Arbuthnot
Shakespeare Anniversary

Jean Simmons as the harpist in 'Caesar and Cleopatra' possibly by Wilfrid Newton bromide print, 1945 NPG x199013 Jean Simmons as the harpist in 'Caesar and Cleopatra', possibly by Wilfrid Newton, 1945 - NPG x199013 - © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London © reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
Jean Simmons: a life in pictures

William Booth by Elliott & Fry chlorobromide print on cream card mount, 1884 NPG x127412 © National Portrait Gallery, London
150 Years of the Salvation Army

Alberto Korda (Alberto Díaz Gutiérrez) by Ida Kar vintage bromide print, 1964 NPG x132302 © National Portrait Gallery, London
Ida Kar in Cuba

Julia Margaret Cameron: ‘Poets, prophets, painters and lovely maidens’

Julia Margaret Cameron by Unknown photographer albumen print, circa 1868 NPG P880 Julia Margaret Cameron, by Unknown photographer, circa 1868 - NPG P880 - © National Portrait Gallery, London © National Portrait Gallery, London
Reaching for the stars: Astronomers in focus

Rupert Brooke by Speight gelatin carte-de-visite, 1903 NPG x4696 © National Portrait Gallery, London
Rupert Brooke: War Poet

Vesta Tilley published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd bromide postcard print, 1900s NPG Ax160090 Vesta Tilley, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd, 1900s - NPG Ax160090 - © National Portrait Gallery, London © National Portrait Gallery, London
Keep The Home Fires Burning

King Edward VII; Queen Alexandra; King George V; Queen Mary; Princess Victoria of Wales by and published by Mrs Albert Broom (Christina Livingston) NPG x132093 © National Portrait Gallery, London
Christina Broom: Pioneering Photojournalist

The work of Cornel Lucas

Surreal and Solarised
Photographs

Wedding photographs from
the 1920s

Vivien Leigh: Cover Star

Howard Carter: The Quest for
the Tomb of Tutankhamun

Sir Alec Guinness, by Cornel Lucas, 1954 - NPG x23302 - © estate of Cornel Lucas © estate of Cornel Lucas
Portraits of Alec Guinness

Margaret Emma Alice ('Margot') Asquith (née Tennant), Countess of Oxford and Asquith by Claude Harris vintage bromide print, 1930s NPG x35105 Margaret Emma Alice ('Margot') Asquith (née Tennant), Countess of Oxford and Asquith, by Claude Harris, 1930s - NPG x35105 - © National Portrait Gallery, London © National Portrait Gallery, London
Margot Asquith: A Modern Woman

Thomas Hardy by Clive Holland glossy bromide print, 1900s NPG x17358 Thomas Hardy, by Clive Holland, 1900s - NPG x17358 - © National Portrait Gallery, London © National Portrait Gallery, London
Thomas Hardy

Banner image: Violet Loraine and George Robey in 'The Bing Boys Are Here' by Foulsham & Banfield, published by J. Beagles & Co (deatailed) Ax160326 - © National Portrait Gallery, London © National Portrait Gallery, London