London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [20]
Fodor’s Choice | National Portrait Gallery.
A suitably idiosyncratic collection that presents a potted history of Britain through its people, past and present, this museum is an essential stop for all history and literature buffs, where you can choose to take in a little or a lot. The spacious, bright galleries are accessible via a state-of-the-art escalator. Pop into Portrait Explorer in the IT Gallery for computer-aided exploration. At the summit, the Portrait Restaurant (open an hour after gallery closing times on Thursday and Friday) will delight skyline aficionados.
TIP Here you’ll see one of the best landscapes for real: a panoramic view of Nelson’s Column and the backdrop along Whitehall to the Houses of Parliament.
Galleries are arranged chronologically from Tudor times on the second floor forward to contemporary Britain. In the Tudor Gallery—a modern update—on a Tudor long hall—is a Holbein cartoon of Henry VIII. Joshua Reynolds’s self-portrait hangs in the refurbished 17th-century rooms; portraits of notables, including Shakespeare, the Brontë sisters, Jane Austen, and the Queen are always on display. Other faces are more obscure and will be just as unknown to you if you’re English, because the portraits outlasted their sitters’ fame—not so surprising when the portraitists are such greats as Reynolds, Gainsborough, Lawrence, Romney, and Hockney. Look for the four Andy Warhol Queen Elizabeth II silkscreens from 1985 and Maggi Hambling’s surreal self-portrait. Contemporary portraits range from the iconic (Julian with T-shirt—an LCD screen on a continuous loop—by Julian Opie) to the creepy (Marc Quinn’s Self, a realization of the artist’s head in frozen blood) and the eccentric (Tim Noble’s ghoulish Head of Isabella Blow). Temporary exhibitions can be explored in the Wolfson and Porter galleries. | St. Martin’s Pl., Covent Garden | WC2H 0HE | 020/7312–2463, 020/730–0555 recorded switchboard information | www.npg.org.uk | Free, charge for special exhibitions; £3 audiovisual guide | Mon.–Wed. and weekends 10–6, Thurs. and Fri. 10–9, last admission 45 mins before closing | Charing Cross, Leicester Sq.
The Queen’s Gallery.
The former chapel at the south side of Buckingham Palace is now a temple of art and rare and exquisite objects, acquired by kings and queens over the centuries. Although Her Majesty herself is not the personal owner, she has the privilege of holding these works for the nation. Step through the splendid portico (designed by John Simpson) into elegantly restrained, spacious galleries whose walls are hung with some truly great works. An excellent audio guide takes you through the treasures.
A rough timeline of the major royal collectors starts with Charles I. An avid appreciator of painters, Charles established the basis of the Royal Collection, purchasing works by Mantegna, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, and Dürer (it was under royal patronage that Rubens painted the Banqueting House ceiling). During the Civil War and in the aftermath of Charles’s execution, many masterpieces were sold abroad and subsequently repatriated by Charles II. George III, who bought Buckingham House, scooped up a notable collection of Venetian (including Canaletto), Renaissance (Bellini and Raphael), and Dutch (Vermeer) art, and a large number of baroque drawings, in addition to patronizing English contemporary artists such as Gainsborough, Hoppner, and Beechey. He also took a liking to American artist Benjamin West. The Prince Regent, George IV, transformed his father’s house into a palace, filling it with fine art from paintings to porcelain. In particular, he had a good eye for Rembrandt, contemporary equestrian works by Stubbs, and lavish portraits by Lawrence. Queen Victoria had a penchant for Landseer animals and landscapes, Frith’s contemporary scenes, and portraits by Winterhalter. Finally, Edward VII indulged Queen Alexandra’s love of Fabergé, and many royal