Search the Collection

William Golding

(1911-1993), Writer

Sir William Gerald Golding

Sitter in 8 portraits
Writer. Born in Cornwall and educated at Marlborough Grammar School and Oxford, Golding worked as an actor and producer in small theatre companies before becoming a teacher. He served in the navy, commanding a rocket ship during the Second World War. His first novel Lord of the Flies (1954) was an immediate success. Other novels followed, among them Pincher Martin (1956), The Spire (1964), and Darkness Visible (1979). His work considers the cruelty in human nature in extreme situations. Rites of Passage won the Booker Prize in 1980. Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.

Tell us More

List Thumbnail

William Golding

by Michael Ayrton
pen and ink and wash, 1965
NPG 5536

William Golding

by Adrian George
oil on canvas, 1986
NPG 5922

William Golding

by Elliott & Fry
bromide print, 1954
NPG x89431

William Golding

by Elliott & Fry
bromide print, 1954
NPG x89432

William Golding

by Howard Coster
matte bromide print, 1955
NPG x1878

William Golding

by Mark Gerson
modern bromide print, August 1970
NPG x88212

William Golding

by Paul Joyce
bromide print on card mount, May 1977
NPG x13430

William Golding

by David Hills
colour print, 11 December 1989
NPG x47311

Groups

Place

Cornwall

Tell us more back to top

Can you tell us more about this person? Spotted an error, information that is missing (a sitter’s life dates, occupation or family relationships, or a date of portrait for example) or do you know anything that we don't know? If you have information to share please complete the form below.

If you require information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service. You can buy a print of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at £6 for unframed prints, £25 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, please use our Rights and Images service.

Please note that we cannot provide valuations.

We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

* What can you tell us? (Help)

There are occasions when we are unsure of the identity of a sitter or artist, their life dates, occupation or have not recorded their family relationships. Sometimes we have not recorded the date of a portrait. Do you have specialist knowledge or a particular interest about any aspect of the portrait or sitter or artist that you can share with us? We would welcome any information that adds to and enhances our information and understanding about a particular portrait, sitter or artist.

Citation (Help)

How do you know this? Please could you let us know your source of information.

* Permission to publish (Privacy information)

The National Portrait Gallery will NOT use your information to contact you or store for any other purpose than to investigate or display your contribution. By ticking permission to publish you are indicating your agreement for your contribution to be shown on this collection item page. Please note your email address will not be displayed on the page nor will it be used for any marketing material or promotion of any kind.

Please ensure your comments are relevant and appropriate. Your contributions must be polite and with no intention of causing trouble. All contributions are moderated.

Denied Granted

* Your name (Why?)

* Email (Why?)

Contributions are moderated. We'll need your email address so that we can follow up on the information provided and contact you to let you know when your contribution has been published.

Britain 1960-1990

Tell us more

Can you tell us more about this person?

William Golding

Thanks for Liking