Portrait news

Miss Susanna Gardiner (1752-1818), the artist's niece, by Thomas Gainsborough RA (1727–88), 1758/59, oil on canvas, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection. The conference coincides with an exhibition devoted to Thomas Gainsborough's portraits of himself and his relations, to be held at the National Portrait Gallery, London, from 22 November 2018 to 23 February 2019.

Call for Papers: 'Portraiture and Biography'

An international conference sponsored jointly by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and the National Portrait Gallery, London 29-30 November 2018 Deadline for submissions: 1 February 2018 Biography has always haunted the study of portraiture. Although in recent decades art-historians may have developed a healthy skepticism for the intuitive practice of interpreting portraits with straightforward reference to what is known about the lives of their subjects, the temptation to do so remains strong. Moreover, such[...]
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Frances Teresa Stuart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, engraved by Rivers, after Jacob Huysmans (a portrait in the Royal Collection Trust, c1664), stipple engraving, published 1796 © National Portrait Gallery, London.

Call for Papers: Ruling Sexualities: Sexuality, Gender and the Crown

Conference hosted by Historic Royal Palaces and the University of Winchester, 9-12 July 2018 Deadline for submissions: 31 December 2017 The Royal Studies Network aims to connect scholars across the world whose research focuses on topics related to royal history, diplomacy, art history, political history, biographical studies or any other issues included in the scope of royal studies. This edition of the Kings and Queens conference will have a particular focus on gender and sexuality as central[...]
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Queen Charlotte and daughters, Chelsea-Derby Porcelain c1773, Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017

Enlightened Princesses: Caroline, Augusta, Charlotte and the Shaping of the Modern World

Venue: Kensington Palace, 22 June - 12 November 2017 Explore the lives of three German princesses, whose marriage into the British royal family and wide-ranging interests placed them at the very heart of the enlightenment underway in 18th century Britain. From advocating the latest scientific and medical advancements to their involvement in charity work, each princess would subtly alter the role women played in the British royal family, with lasting results. To reflect the diverse range of interests[...]
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Collections & Acquisitions
- Glamorous portrait of Lady Rocksavage purchased by Grosvenor Museum, Chester
  
  Press release announcement from The Grosvenor Museum, Chester, 21 April 2017: A glamorous portrait of one of[...]
- New: The Garrick Club collections online
  
  The Garrick Club in London holds a remarkable collection of art works representing the history of the theatre,[...]
- Disability in the 18th century – a National Portrait Gallery trail by Jacob Simon
  
  Disability is no respecter of person. Those represented on the walls of the National Portrait Gallery and in[...]
- Object focus video: Rex Whistler’s self portrait at the National Army Museum
  
  Jenny Spencer-Smith presents a self-portrait by the artist Rex Whistler. Link to video on National Army Museum’s website.
- Object focus video: General Wolfe at the National Army Museum
  
  Pip Dodd presents a portrait miniature of Major General James Wolfe (1727-1759), famous as ‘Wolfe of Quebec’. Link[...]
- Conrad Ackner treating Lady Lavery, by Sir John Lavery dated 1929
  
  The British Dental Association Museum has purchased a portrait of ‘gum guru’ Conrad Ackner treating Lady Lavery in[...]
- Vere Egerton, Mrs William Booth at Dunham Massey, National Trust
  
  The National Trust has purchased a whole length portrait believed to depict Vere Egerton, who married William Booth[...]
Conferences & Events
- Call for Papers: Ruling Sexualities: Sexuality, Gender and the Crown
  
  Conference hosted by Historic Royal Palaces and the University of Winchester, 9-12 July 2018 Deadline for submissions:[...]
- Call for Papers: ‘Portraiture and Biography’
  
  An international conference sponsored jointly by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and the National[...]
- ‘Mary Gillick: Her Art in your Pocket’ exhibition
  
  Venue: Henry Moore Institute, Leeds Dates: 20 Sep 2017 – 28 January 2018 Seminar: Mary Gillick and the[...]
Conservation
Exhibitions & Displays
- ‘Mary Gillick: Her Art in your Pocket’ exhibition
  
  Venue: Henry Moore Institute, Leeds Dates: 20 Sep 2017 – 28 January 2018 Seminar: Mary Gillick and the[...]
- Singer Sargent’s ‘Young Lady in White’ returns home to Ightham Mote, Kent
  
  Venue: Ightham Mote, National Trust, Ivy Hatch, near Sevenoaks, Kent Date: on loan until 23 December 2017 [...]
- Loan offer: pocket portraits
  
  The Museum of Design in Plastics has Esmée Fairbairn Effective Collections funding to lend small groups of artefacts[...]
- The People’s Portraits, Girton College Cambridge
  
  In 2000, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters mounted a millennial exhibition entitled People’s Portraits. The idea was[...]
- Timeless and Classic: Machin’s icon
  
  This online exhibition from the British Postal Museum & Archive explores the evolution of Arnold Machin’s classic profile[...]
Funding opportunities
- The Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grants Programme at The Art Fund ongoing
  
  The Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grants programme has been created to help curators working with fine and applied art[...]
Learning & participation projects
Online resources
- James Gillray: Caricaturist
  
  James Gillray (1756-1815) was one of the greatest caricaturist of the 18th century. From around 1775 until 1810,[...]
- New: The Garrick Club collections online
  
  The Garrick Club in London holds a remarkable collection of art works representing the history of the theatre,[...]
- Slavery and the British Country House, Madge Dresser and Andrew Hann (eds.)
  
  The British country house has long been regarded as the jewel in the nation’s heritage crown. But the[...]
- Profiles of the Past: 250 years of British portrait silhouette history
  
  The Profiles of the Past initiative is focused on British portrait silhouette history, a story that developed over[...]
- The Frame Blog
  
  Regular high quality blog posts by Lynn Roberts on the history of picture frames and their iconography -[...]
- Dressing in the 1870s - a video from The Bowes Museum
  
  The Bowes Museum and historical costume specialist Luca Costigliolo dress a female model in an exact replica 1870s[...]
- George Frederick Watts cataloguing project at the National Portrait Gallery, London
  
  The National Portrait Gallery has begun a project to catalogue its collection of papers relating to the nineteenth-century[...]
- British Art History Resources online
  
  The Walpole Society’s guide to freely available online resources for the study of the history of British art[...]
- The Unknown Sitter
  
  A collaboration between the artist Nicky Bird and art historian Lara Perry, Knowing the Unknown Sitter brought together[...]
- Figures and Fictions: Jodi Bieber
  
  Photographer Jodi Bieber discusses her portrait series ‘Real Beauty’ on the V&A Channel.
- Underwear: from corsets to bullet bras and back by Eleri Lynn, V&A
  
  This film from the V&A Channel features author Eleri Lynn as she leads us on a tour of[...]
- The art world in Britain 1660 to 1735
  
  The art world in Britain 1660 to 1735 publishes primary sources and research tools for the study of[...]
- Disability in the 18th century – a National Portrait Gallery trail by Jacob Simon
  
  Disability is no respecter of person. Those represented on the walls of the National Portrait Gallery and in[...]
- Dating old photographs using costume history
  
  A set of practical, in-depth guides from the V&A helps to date male and female portrait photography. [...]
- Pre-Raphaelite portrait drawings
  
  A small online exhibition of PRB portrait drawings in the collection of the Lady Lever Art Gallery in[...]
- British portrait minatures at the V&A
  
  An exemplary online resource for new research into miniature production, key proponents, royal iconography, and techniques.
- Timeless and Classic: Machin’s icon
  
  This online exhibition from the British Postal Museum & Archive explores the evolution of Arnold Machin’s classic profile[...]
- New York Public Library’s Digital Gallery of images
  
  New York Public Library’s Digital Gallery provides free and open access to over 800,000 images digitized from the[...]
- Portraits of Actors, Dramatists, Singers and Musicians online
  
  The Portraits of Actors, 1720-1920 database includes almost 3,500 pictures of actors - studio portraits and actors posing[...]
Publications & Catalogues
- James Gillray: Caricaturist
  
  James Gillray (1756-1815) was one of the greatest caricaturist of the 18th century. From around 1775 until 1810,[...]
- Slavery and the British Country House, Madge Dresser and Andrew Hann (eds.)
  
  The British country house has long been regarded as the jewel in the nation’s heritage crown. But the[...]
- Profiles of the Past: 250 years of British portrait silhouette history
  
  The Profiles of the Past initiative is focused on British portrait silhouette history, a story that developed over[...]
- George Frederick Watts cataloguing project at the National Portrait Gallery, London
  
  The National Portrait Gallery has begun a project to catalogue its collection of papers relating to the nineteenth-century[...]
- Henry Raeburn. Context, Reception and Reputation, by Viccy Coltman and Stephen Lloyd (eds)
  
  The first illustrated scholarly work devoted to the reception and reputation of Edinburgh’s premier Enlightenment portrait painter. [...]
- ‘Portrayal and the Search for Identity’ by Prof Marcia Pointon
  
  In Portrayal and the Search for Identity, Marcia Pointon investigates how we view and understand portraiture as a[...]
- ‘The Look of the Past Visual and Material Evidence in Historical Practice’ by Prof Ludmilla Jordanova
  
  How can we use visual and material culture to shed light on the past? Ludmilla Jordanova offers[...]
- British Art History Resources online
  
  The Walpole Society’s guide to freely available online resources for the study of the history of British art[...]
- Facing Beauty: Painted Women and Cosmetic Art by Professor Aileen Ribeiro
  
  Throughout the history of the Western world, countless attempts have been made to define beauty in art and[...]
- The Life & Letters of Gavin Hamilton (1723-1798). Artist & Art Dealer in Eighteenth-Century Rome, by Brendan Cassidy
  
  Further details on the publisher’s website.
- The London Letters of Samuel Molyneux, 1712-13
  
  The London Letters of Samuel Molyneux, 1712-13 with an introduction and commentary by Paul Holden, hardback, 168 pp.,[...]