Bust

National Portrait Gallery - Carlyle

Inscription

Carlyle

Site: National Portrait Gallery (18 memorials)

WC2, Charing Cross Road

This building, 1896, designed by Ewan Christian, has 18 busts contained in medallions around the top of the facades. Starting at the east end of Orange Street and reading clockwise:
Facing north up Charing Cross Road: Chantrey, Lawrence, Reynolds, Hogarth, Roubilliac, Kneller, Lely, Van Dyke, Holbein.
Around the corner, facing east: Walpole, Clarendon, Fuller.
Facing north beside the entrance: Lodge, Faithorne, Granger.
Facing east, above the entrance are represented the three men chiefly responsible for the Gallery's existence: MacAulay, Stanhope, Carlyle.

2019: The Guardian reported on plans to move the entrance to this museum from the east side of the building round to the north side, where the Irving statue is.

2023: Londonist reported that the north entrance is now open and boasts three sets of doors etched with artworks by Tracy Emin. These show faces of 45 women, not specific or identifiable figures but, as the artist is quoted: "it's up to the viewer to discern what they feel and what they see or who they see..." Londonist sees 'The Doors' as "a direct challenge to/balancing act with the slew of Portland stone busts carved into the building’s original façade, featuring 18 men .."

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
National Portrait Gallery - Carlyle

Subjects commemorated i

Thomas Carlyle (author)

Historian, essayist and co-founder of the National Portrait Gallery. Born in ...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
National Portrait Gallery - Carlyle

Also at this site i

Nearby Memorials

Sir Hans Sloane - British Library

Sir Hans Sloane - British Library

NW1, Euston Road, The British Library

This bust is a 20th-century replica after Michael Rysbrack, 18th century.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
B4 - Scott

B4 - Scott

W2, Westbourne Grove, 26, HBA

He is wearing a plaid - a large tartan shawl/blanket, as modelled by Mel Gibson. 

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Old Westminster Library - head 4 - Dryden

Old Westminster Library - head 4 - Dryden

SW1, Great Smith Street

The foundation stone is immediately to the right of the central entrance. Above the entrance: "Westminster Public Library, The united pa...

1 subject commemorated
Imperial College - Wernher

Imperial College - Wernher

SW7, Prince Consort Road, Imperial College

This building, the Royal School of Mines, (1906, Aston Webb). has 34 memorials: a foundation stone, 2 busts and 30 scientists' surnames p...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Colonial Office - B15 - Wilberforce

Colonial Office - B15 - Wilberforce

SW1, Whitehall, Foreign Office

Statues Hither and Thither has been invaluable in identifying some of the busts and most of the statues. The statues are not labelled and...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators