People By People

The thing that most fascinates people is people - whether famous or infamous. One of the best collections of fame is in the National Portrait Gallery. Unlike Madame Tussauds infamy is not a criterion for inclusion.

Men women and children were by far the most popular subjects for drawings, paintings and sculptures and people are the most photographed subject with today's digital cameras. Just as the 'Eyes are the window to the soul' the face portrays their character and experience. Dress has always been the main symbol of a person's standing in the community. Even now as the merger between classes and races is starting to become a reality, fame and fashion are a major preoccupation.

For a portrait to be hung in the National Portrait Gallery the status of the sitter had to be 'Persons most honourably commemorated, warriors, statesmen, or in arts, in literature or in science'. It was about history rather than art. It was also decreed that people had to be dead for ten years before they could be submitted. The admission of living sitters was allowed in 1969 since celebrities such as the Beatles were too young to die any time soon. The public now, more than ever, want to see what it is about famous people.

Whether a humble funeral or the death of a great statesman, to be well remembered is important to everyone. Since the opening in 1865 it became usual for the greatest landed families in Britain to sit for portraits hoping to be displayed alongside the royalty.

A visit to such a wealthy source of fame as the National Portrait Gallery is worth it even just to see how other artists and photographers light and pose their subjects or sitters. The standard of the family album is bound to rise if the pictures are closely observed to learn some techniques relating to light, pose and immediate surroundings.

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Unless stated all images copyright National Portrait Gallery, London