Bust

National Portrait Gallery - Van Dyck

Inscription

Van Dyck

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 - Van Dyck

Subjects commemorated i

Sir Anthony Van Dyck

Grew up in Antwerp and was trained by Rubens. Visited London in 1620 for a ...

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

Also at this site i

Nearby Memorials

Sir Joshua Reynolds bust

Sir Joshua Reynolds bust

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All four of the Leicester Square busts were removed in the 2010-12 redesign, and we don't know where they went.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Drill Hall - head 2 - Scots soldier

Drill Hall - head 2 - Scots soldier

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In the spandrels above the entrance door: "Bloomsbury Rifles Pro Patria Semper" ('for my country always'). The technique used for this le...

Linacre bust

Linacre bust

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This bust is fixed to the wall of the building in the garden seen in the picture.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Greenwich roundels - Rodney

Greenwich roundels - Rodney

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The roundels on the north, river-facing, frontage are occupied by, left to right: Anson, Drake, Cook, Howard, Blake, Benbow, Sandwich, Ro...

1 subject commemorated
Grosvenor Hotel - head 09

Grosvenor Hotel - head 09

SW1, Buckingham Palace Road, Grosvenor Hotel

This 1860 building, by architect James Knowles Snr, is studded with many portrait busts of which we believe only these 14 are representat...