The Tudors 

Monday, 2 October at 6pm 

In June this year the National Portrait Gallery re-opened its doors after three years, the closure nothing to do with the global pandemic, but a much-needed refurbishment after years of additions, extensions, and patching together. The result is wonderful - a delightfully clear new hang, drawing on new discoveries, recent acquisitions and changing curatorial practice. Now that the initial rush has died down (it was almost impossible to get through the spaces) it is time to re-visit, and to think about what has, and hasn't changed.

I am thinking about covering the collection as a whole over the next few months, and will start in October with the earliest paintings. Dating from the late 15th and 16th centuries, these cover the foundation and flourishing of the Tudor dynasty, from Henry VII (one of my favourite portraits), to Henry VIII and his children (including the great Holbein cartoon), ending with Elizabeth I. 

But it won't just be monarchs: we will also see prisoners and playwrights, powerful women and dutiful sons, with the portraits ranging from life-sized full-length oils to tiny miniatures. As the centuries progress, there will also be sculptures, and eventually (if I get that far) photographs and even video. But clearly, that won't apply to the Tudors...