Bust

National Portrait Gallery - Walpole

Inscription

Walpole

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 - Walpole

Subjects commemorated i

Horatio ('Horace') Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford

Writer and collector. Youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole. His gothic novel ...

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

Also at this site i

Nearby Memorials

Sanctuary - head on left - Victoria

Sanctuary - head on left - Victoria

SW1, Broad Sanctuary, The Sanctuary, 1-8 Broad Sanctuary

The building is Grade II listed, a terrace of Bath stone buildings incorporating gateway to Dean's Yard. 1853-54 by Sir George Gilbert Sc...

1 subject commemorated
Bermondsey Library - 1 - Homer

Bermondsey Library - 1 - Homer

SE16, Spa Road, Old Bermondsey Library / Kagyu Samye Dzong Buddhist centre

We would not describe this face as ugly so it can't be Socrates. We reckon it's Homer - he's often shown with a beanie hat.

1 subject commemorated
Guildhall - Cromwell bust

Guildhall - Cromwell 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
Earl Russell bust

Earl Russell bust

W1, Mortimer Street, 22, Earl Russell

This used to be "mystery bust" in Puzzle Corner but our colleague, Alan Patient, has done some research into the appropriately squiffy-lo...

1 subject commemorated
Grosvenor Hotel - head 07 - Queen Victoria

Grosvenor Hotel - head 07 - Queen Victoria

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...

1 subject commemorated