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 .."

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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 ...

Read More

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

Nash at Church of All Souls

Nash at Church of All Souls

W1, Langham Place

This simple spire was heavily criticised in its day, even sparking a Parliamentary debate.

2 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Bust in Stratford - Beethoven

Bust in Stratford - Beethoven

E15, Stratford High Street, 361, Borough Theatre

Researching this bust we failed to ID the man, and worse, we discovered that there was another bust on the building, obliterated by the 1...

1 subject commemorated
Temple Bar memorial - Prince Albert Victor

Temple Bar memorial - Prince Albert Victor

EC4, Fleet Street

The west 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
Sir Simon Milton relief

Sir Simon Milton relief

W1, Piccadilly, One Eagle Place

The background depicts a few buildings and we can all ID City Hall. For the others we rely on the ever-informative Ornamental Passions. ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Old Westminster Library - head 1 - Spenser

Old Westminster Library - head 1 - Spenser

SW1, Great Smith Street

We first thought Francis Bacon but he normally has more hair, and, so far, all the heads are literary rather than scientific.

1 subject commemorated