Bust

National Portrait Gallery - Lely

Inscription

Lely

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 .."

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

Subjects commemorated i

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

Also at this site i

Nearby Memorials

Previously viewed

Norman Hartnell

Norman Hartnell

W1, Bruton Street, 26

English Heritage Sir Norman Hartnell, 1901 - 1979, court dressmaker, lived and worked here, 1935 - 1979.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Parish Clerks Hall - third

Parish Clerks Hall - third

EC2, Wood Street

The Hall was in Silver Street, which exists no more. it ran just south of London Wall, between Wood Street and Noble Street.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Muses - Erato

Muses - Erato

WC2, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery - Staircase Hall - Half-way Landing

Mary Hutchinson as Erato the muse of lyric poetry. Note the owl behind her.

1 subject commemorated
St Peters Eaton Square - WW1 memorial - names

St Peters Eaton Square - WW1 memorial - names

SW1, Eaton Square, St Peters

The Biblical quotation at the end of the inscription is from 1 John 3:16. This is a very unusual style for a WW1 memorial and we think i...

War dead | WW1
147 subjects commemorated
New Cross Fire - Hackney

New Cross Fire - Hackney

E5, Corner of Downs Park and Queensdown Roads, Hackney Downs

These trees were planted in the memory of the 13 children who died in the New Cross fire on the 18th Jan 1981.

1 subject commemorated