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 .."

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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 ...

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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

J. M. W. Turner - W1

J. M. W. Turner - W1

W1, Queen Anne Street, 23

This plaque is so well integrated into the façade we believe it was part of the design.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Queen Victoria at Middle Temple Lane

Queen Victoria at Middle Temple Lane

EC4, Victoria Embankment, Middle Temple Lane entrance

This 1878-9 building by E. M. Barry was hidden behind scaffolding when we visited in November 2013 but by April 2014 it was showing its n...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Temple Bar memorial - Truscott

Temple Bar memorial - Truscott

EC4, Fleet Street

The east face is framed with pilasters each side, decorated with emblems of "war" to the left and "peace" to the right. Carved in the sto...

1 subject commemorated
Shakespeare bust - Wyndham's

Shakespeare bust - Wyndham's

WC2, Charing Cross Road, Wyndham's Theatre

This bust, high up in the pediment, is supported on each side by a muse, in the usual flimsy garb.

1 subject commemorated
National Portrait Gallery - MacAulay

National Portrait Gallery - MacAulay

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...

1 subject commemorated