Bust

National Portrait Gallery - Kneller

Inscription

Kneller

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 - Kneller

Subjects commemorated i

Sir Godfrey Kneller

Portrait painter. His set of portraits of Kit-Cat Club members is on display ...

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

Also at this site i

Nearby Memorials

Colonial Office - B19 - Edward I

Colonial Office - B19 - Edward I

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
Chaucer bust - SW1

Chaucer bust - SW1

SW1, Parliament Street, 48, Red Lion Inn

These two busts are above the second floor bay windows, Dickens on Parliament Street, Chaucer on the return in Derby Gate. The building ...

1 subject commemorated
Kilburn head - 2 - Handel

Kilburn head - 2 - Handel

NW6, Kilburn High Road, 70-72 Traid

We've numbered these heads left to right and identified them ourselves. Do let us know if you think otherwise. The building is very plain...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Caxton Hall - head 6 - Chaucer

Caxton Hall - head 6 - Chaucer

SW1, Caxton Street, 10, Caxton Hall

This could equally well be Caxton (they are both always shown with this headgear, full beard and moustache) but the lack of sideburns see...

1 subject commemorated
Guildhall - Shakespeare bust

Guildhall - Shakespeare bust

EC2, Guildhall Yard, Guildhall

The arcade contains four modern busts, left to right: Pepys Cromwell Shakespeare Wren and a statue of Whittington to the left.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator