John Major; Norma Major
1 portrait matching these criteria:
- subject matching 'Chandeliers'
© National Portrait Gallery, London
John Major; Norma Major
by John Wonnacott
oil on board, 1997
85 3/4 in. x 60 in. (2180 mm x 1527 mm)
Commissioned, 1997
Primary Collection
NPG 6402
Sittersback to top
- Sir John Major (1943-), Prime Minister. Sitter in 15 portraits.
- Norma Christina Elizabeth Major (1942-), Wife of John Major. Sitter in 1 portrait.
This portraitback to top
The portrait is set in the White Room at 10 Downing Street, but was largely painted in a temporary studio at the National Portrait Gallery. John Major's wife, Norma, is seated in the background. In addition to paintings by British artists - Raeburn, Sickert and Constable - the portrait includes pieces of contemporary silver from the Silver Trust Collection, owned and lent to Number 10 Downing Street by the Trustees of the Silver Trust.
Related worksback to top
- NPG 6410(1): John Major (study)
- NPG 6410(2): John Major (study)
- NPG 6410(3): John Major (study)
- NPG 6410(4): John Major (study)
- NPG 6410(5): John Major (study)
- NPG 6410(6): John Major (sketch)
- NPG D17004: Roofscape sketched from National Portrait Gallery while at work on portrait of John Major (sketch)
Linked publicationsback to top
- Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 406
- Seldon, Anthony, 10 Downing Street : the Illustrated History, 1999, p. 165
Placesback to top
- Place made: United Kingdom: England, London (artist's temporary studio, National Portrait Gallery, London)
- Place portrayed: United Kingdom: England, London (White Room, 10 Downing Street, London)
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1997back to top
Current affairs
The Labour party - re-branded as New Labour - win a spectacular landslide election and Tony Blair becomes Prime Minister. Their electoral campaign promised that 'things can only get better' and that their priorities would be 'education, education, education.' While New Labour's 'third way' centralist approach put off some party traditionalists, it secured the popular vote.Princess Diana and her lover Dodi Fayed die in a car crash in Paris.
Art and science
J.K. Rowling publishes Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first of seven fantasy books chronicling the life of Harry and his friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: learning magic, breaking school rules, romantic entanglements and their struggles against the evil Lord Voldemort.Scientists at the Roslin Institute in Scotland announce that they have cloned the first mammal from an adult cell: '6LL3', or Dolly the Sheep.
International
Governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten hands the island back to China after one hundred and fifty years as a British Colony. Although sovereignty was restored to China, it was agreed that the Island would become a 'Special Administrative Region' under the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle, effectively keeping its capitalist economy and way of life for a period of 50 years.Comments back to top
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