Art Guide Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh

Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh

1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD (map)
Telephone: 0131 624 6200
Web site: www.nationalgalleries.org
See also: Scotland

Background information
The Portrait Gallery is situated in the heart of the New Town on Queen Street. It provides a unique visual history of Scotland, told through portraits of the figures who shaped it: royals and rebels, poets and philosophers, heroes and villains. All the portraits are of Scots, but not all are by Scots. The collection masters such as Van Dyck, Gainsborough, Copley, Thorvaldsen, Rodin and as well Raeburn and other Scottish artists.

The Portrait Gallery was built in the 1880s largely thanks to private generosity. imposing neo-Gothic building in red sandstone, designed by the architect Sir

Robert Rowand Anderson.

General information
Facilities: Cafe, Shop, Disabled Access, Lectures
Admission: Daily 10:00am to 5:00pm, late night openings Thursday until 7:00pm ; Admission: Free, though some exhibitions may have an admission charge
How to find us: . By bus, The National Galleries of Scotland Visitors' Bus, continues to operate its free service round the four Galleries. Edinburgh, Waverly

Particularly interesting for Biographical Memorabilia Paintings Photography

Listed under Museums with Web Sites

Highlights of the Collection

Brodie, William Portrait busts

Chantrey, Sir Francis Portrait busts

Ghezzi, Pier Leone The Baptism of Princes Charles Edward Stewart

Keirincx, Alexander View of Falkland Palace

Lees, Charles The Golfers

Masucci, Agostino The Marriage of James Francis Edward Stewart

Neapolitan School Interior, Naples showing Sir William Hamilton with a group of friends

Nicholson, William Sir James Barrie

Park, Patric Portrait busts

Steell, Sir John Portrait busts

Tassie, James Gem-stone reproductions

Tassie, James Portrait medallions ; Portrait medallions

Other artists represented in the Collection

Raeburn, Sir Henry

Rennie, John

Scott, Sir Walter

Further Information

Planning travel to the UK	Valuations/buying & selling art	Directory of living artists
Learning about art	Supporting the arts

Visitors Forum

I am try to find a painting of my great aunt Lydia Esther Macbeth wife of Rober Walker Macbeth. I am told the that he painted her as did Carlo Palengrini( no sure of spelling).If anyone can help I would be most grateful. Joy Locke
j m locke - 2009-10-01

I am a descendant of Sir John Malcolm and looking for sketches, photos or paintings of him, or pictures of paintings. Also any information about his writings of Perisan life, poetry or stories.

I want to share him with my children and grandchildren.

Many thanks for your help. tgraeme@shaw.ca - that's Canada :)
Toni - 2005-07-28

Please have you an alphabetical searchable list of sitters, artists , etc. The NPG has and its very useful . I am looking for a portrait of an early Neil Campbell who was a Dr of Divinity of the Uni of Glasgow, and his son Duncan Campbell who became a landowner in Jamaica etc, and of Sir John Malcolm of Persia , would be grateful for any information , thanks

Elizabeth Howard - 2004-12-15

Dear Sirs:

The National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, contains a portrait of James Boswell by the Scottish painter George Willison (painted in Rome, 1765). I have a reproduction of this very beautiful painting but I have been unable to ascertain its DIMENSIONS. Could you please supply the height and width for me? I would be most grateful, because in order to appreciate a work of art one really has to know its size.

Thank you very much.

Ron Sabaroff
Ronald Sabaroff - 2004-03-31

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