Iris Murdoch
20 of 35 portraits of Iris Murdoch
© Mark Gerson / National Portrait Gallery, London
Iris Murdoch
by Mark Gerson
modern bromide print, October 1958
15 in. x 10 1/4 in. (380 mm x 260 mm)
Given by Mark Gerson, 1996
Photographs Collection
NPG x88220
Sitterback to top
- Dame (Jean) Iris Murdoch (1919-1999), Novelist and philosopher. Sitter in 35 portraits.
Artistback to top
- Mark Gerson (1921-), Photographer. Artist or producer associated with 277 portraits, Sitter in 2 portraits.
Placesback to top
- Place made: United Kingdom: England, London (photographer's studio, Marble Arch, London)
Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top
- Literati Photographs by Mark Gerson (2 August 1996 - 13 October 1996)
Events of 1958back to top
Current affairs
Britain's first motorway is built. The Preston bypass (M6) was the first road to be built to official motorway standards, although the M1 (opened in 1959) was the first road to be given official status. The road was opened by the Prime minister, Harold Macmillan, and heralded a new age of mass, high-speed motoring.Art and science
Michael Bond publishes A Bear Called Paddington, the first Paddington Bear book. This popular character is remembered for being found at Paddington Station by the Brown family, for wearing a floppy hat, duffle coat and Wellington boots, and for his penchant for marmalade sandwiches.The children's television programme, Blue Peter, is broadcast for the first time.
International
Following the USSR's successful launch of the Sputnik 1 satellite in 1957, America launches its own space agency, NASA. Under pressure from the Soviets' early lead, NASA began research into human spaceflight. The competition between the two superpowers to explore outer space, send humans beyond the Earth's orbit and land on the moon was known as the 'space race'.Comments back to top
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