Face of Britain

Historian Simon Schama joins forces with National Portrait Gallery curators to create five new displays exploring the development, character and meanings of British portraiture.

Staged throughout the Gallery, portraits from across the Collection will be displayed for the first time by theme rather than chronology, taking a long view of the history of portraits in each room.

Each display will comprise a cross-period selection in various media, exploring one of the following themes: Power, Love, Fame, People and Self.

Developed in partnership with the BBC, Simon Schama’s Face of Britain will coincide with the broadcast of a new five-part TV series on BBC Two and the publication of an accompanying book by Viking/Penguin Random House this autumn.