LGBT+

Cecil Beaton

1904-1980
Photographer, designer and writer
Sitter associated with 360 portraits | Artist associated with 1114 portraits

William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp

1872-1938
Politician; Governor of New South Wales
Sitter in 11 portraits

Binkie Beaumont

1908-1973
Theatre manager
Sitter in 2 portraits

William (Thomas) Beckford

1760-1844
Writer; owner of enslaved people
Sitter in 3 portraits

Sybille Bedford

1911-2006
Novelist, travel writer and biographer
Sitter in 1 portrait

Muriel Belcher

1910-1978
Founder of The Colony Room
Sitter in 2 portraits

Andy Bell

1964-
Pop singer; lead singer of 'Erasure'
Sitter in 1 portrait

Linda Bellos

1950-
Campaigner; leader of Lambeth Council
Sitter in 1 portrait

Alan Bennett

1934-
Playwright
Sitter in 25 portraits

Arthur Christopher Benson

1862-1925
Author and schoolmaster
Sitter in 4 portraits

E.F. Benson

1867-1940
Novelist
Sitter in 16 portraits

Michael Benthall

1919-1974
Theatre director
Sitter in 2 portraits

Christian Bérard

1902-1949
Theatre and film designer, painter and draughtsman
Sitter in 1 portrait | Artist of 1 portrait

Sir Lennox Randal Francis Berkeley

1903-1989
Composer
Sitter in 23 portraits | Artist of 1 portrait

Gerald Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Baron Berners

1883-1950
Musician, artist and writer
Sitter associated with 29 portraits

Sarah Bernhardt

1844-1923
Actress
Sitter associated with 37 portraits

Henrietta Bingham

1901-1968
Socialite, journalist, newspaper executive and racehorse breeder
Sitter in 1 portrait

Jack Birkett

1934-2010
Dancer, actor, mime artist and singer
Sitter in 1 portrait

Francis Frederick Locker Birrell

1889-1935
Journalist, drama critic and bookseller
Sitter in 3 portraits

Norah Blaney

1894-1984
Actress and pianist
Sitter in 1 portrait

Lionel Blue

1930-2016
Rabbi, Convener of the Beth Din of Reform Synagogues of Great Britain and lecturer
Sitter in 1 portrait

Anthony Blunt

1907-1983
Art historian and Soviet spy
Sitter in 7 portraits

Sir Dirk Bogarde

1921-1999
Actor
Sitter in 10 portraits

Henry Hector Bolitho

1898-1974
Writer and biographer
Sitter in 12 portraits

Rosa Bonheur

1822-1899
Painter and sculptor
Sitter in 7 portraits

Robert John Graham Boothby, Baron Boothby

1900-1986
Politician, author and broadcaster
Sitter in 40 portraits

Elizabeth Bowen

1899-1973
Novelist and writer
Sitter in 20 portraits

Leigh Bowery

1961-1994
Performance artist
Sitter in 6 portraits

David Bowie

1947-2016
Singer, songwriter, performer and actor
Sitter in 20 portraits

Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton

1904-1983
Politician, Secretary of State for the Colonies
Sitter in 28 portraits

Helen Boyle

1869-1957
Specialist in nervous diseases, co-founder of the Lady Chichester Hospital and President, Royal Medico-Psychological Association
Sitter in 2 portraits

Ben Bradshaw

1960-
Politician; MP for Exeter and radio reporter
Sitter in 2 portraits

Tom Driberg

1905-1976
Journalist and politician
Sitter in 9 portraits

Erica Brausen

1908-1992
Art dealer and Director of the Hanover Gallery, London
Sitter in 7 portraits

Jeremy Brett

1933-1995
Actor
Sitter in 1 portrait

Benjamin Britten

1913-1976
Composer
Sitter in 120 portraits | Artist of 5 portraits

Marguerite Broadfoote

active 1890s-died 1915
Actress and singer
Sitter in 1 portrait

Steve Bronski

1960-2021
Musician, producer, songwriter and member of Bronski Beat
Sitter in 1 portrait

Rupert Brooke

1887-1915
Poet
Sitter in 21 portraits

Romaine Brooks

1874-1970
Painter; partner of Natalie Barney
Artist associated with 2 portraits

Brigid Antonia Brophy

1929-1995
Novelist
Sitter in 5 portraits

Mel B

1975-
Singer; member of Spice Girls
Sitter in 3 portraits

John Browne, Baron Browne of Madingley

1948-
Group Chief Executive, BP (formerly BP Amoco) plc
Sitter in 2 portraits

Coral Edith Browne

1913-1991
Actress
Sitter in 9 portraits

David Brynley

1902-1981
Tenor
Sitter in 1 portrait

Julie Burchill

1959-
Writer
Sitter in 5 portraits

Guy Burgess

1911-1963
Soviet spy
Sitter in 1 portrait

Edward Burra

1905-1976
Painter
Sitter in 3 portraits | Artist of 3 portraits

William S. Burroughs

1914-1997
Writer
Sitter in 2 portraits

Saffron Burrows

1973-
Actress
Sitter in 1 portrait

Dorothy Bussy (née Strachey)

1865-1960
Author and translator
Sitter associated with 34 portraits

Lady (Charlotte) Eleanor Butler

1739-1829
Elder of 'The Ladies of Llangollen'
Sitter in 7 portraits

Samuel Butler

1835-1902
Artist, writer and traveller
Sitter in 3 portraits

Douglas Byng

1893-1987
Actor and comedian
Sitter in 9 portraits

Lord Byron

1788-1824
Poet
Sitter in 37 portraits

Robert Byron

1905-1941
Travel writer, art historian and critic
Sitter in 1 portrait

Simon Callow

1949-
Actor and director
Sitter in 3 portraits

Lady Colin Campbell

1949-
Writer and socialite; former wife of Lord Colin Ivar Campbell; daughter of Michael Ziadie
Sitter in 1 portrait

Roy Campbell

1901-1957
Poet and translator
Sitter in 12 portraits

Edward Carpenter

1844-1929
Writer on social subjects
Sitter in 8 portraits