We offer a series of conferences, workshops, and collection visits for members to develop their knowledge around portrait research, interpretation, display, and learning programmes. Scroll down to see details of our upcoming and past events.
A day of specialist presentations and tours exploring the interconnections between dress, textiles and portraiture during the 17th century, organised by the Understanding British Portraits Network (UBP) and the Dress and Textiles Specialists (DATS). Aimed at museum professionals, researchers and academics, the study day will investigate some highlights from the Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth textiles collection and […]
The Understanding British Portraits professional network is committed to supporting decolonising and anti-racist activity in the sector, examples of which include the November 2020 event ‘From De-colonial to Anti-colonial: What’s Next for Museum Interpretation?’, and the 2021 Fellowship programme, which was dedicated to enabling UK museum professionals to apply the principles of decolonisation within their […]
Our 2023 Understanding British Portraits Annual Seminar took place in the National Portrait Gallery’s new Mildred & Simon Palley Learning Centre on Tuesday 24 October 2023, chaired by Oli McCall, Senior Curator at Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park.
The Annual Seminar is our open platform for UBP members and the wider museum/heritage/arts/academic sectors to share papers on a range of new work: portrait-focused research, conservation, audience engagement, co-production and interpretation. Each year, we seek to showcase new findings, best practice case studies, and innovative working models. See the recordings from this year’s event, […]
A Subject Specialist Networks series 15, 22 and 29 April 2021, 15:00–17:00 (BST) We were delighted to collaborate with two other professional networks on this series, the British Art Network, and the European Paintings pre-1900 network. Over three online sessions, we explored the topic of health, wellbeing and inclusivity in the context of arts and […]
Welcome to our Annual Seminar 2021 online presentations. The network Steering Group chose eight submissions from our open call for papers, and the recorded fifteen-minute presentations are below. Rachel Church, Independent jewellery historian and researcher A portrait in a locket: the hidden male jewel Lockets are often thought of as primarily feminine jewels but there […]
Understanding British Portraits (UBP) and the Crime and Punishment Collections Network (CaP) were delighted to collaborate in hosting this thought-provoking online session which examined the display and interpretation of criminal justice portraiture. The theme of criminal justice portraiture covered the spectrum of the frequently replicated images of ‘mugshots’ held or displayed by police force museums […]
Chaired by Kate Fellows, Head of Learning and Access, Leeds Museums & Galleries Conference programmed by Sarah Shaw, Museum Tales Ltd, in collaboration with Engage and the Understanding British Portraits network Keynote by Stephanie Ampofo, Poet, performer and inspirational speaker Live scribing by Nifty Fox Creative We worked with Engage, the National Association for Gallery […]
Foundling Museum, 40 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AZ. website Wednesday 19 February 2020, 10.15am to 12 noon Portraying Pregnancy is a major exhibition exploring representations of the pregnant female body through portraits, over 500 years. We were delighted to offer network members this special morning event at the Foundling Museum during the Portraying Pregnancy exhibition. […]
Webinar films and online content This webinar event and related online content explored the possibilities of decolonial action in the interpretation of museum objects. What do we mean when we talk about decolonisation? Why is it necessary? What specific challenge does portraiture as a genre present? What strategies can museums and galleries put in place […]
A day of specialist presentations and tours exploring Eton’s unique portrait collection and setting. Eton is home to several hundred oil portraits, dating from the 16th century to the present day. In addition to portraits of royals or figures associated with the college, the Leaving Portraits depict young Etonians, many of whom became prominent public […]
This event comprised expert-led visits to two remarkable private portrait collections. Douai Abbey in Woolhampton is a Roman Catholic monastery of the English Benedictine Congregation. It was founded in Paris in 1615, removed to Douai in French Flanders post-Revolution, and settled in Berkshire in 1903. The Abbey houses a collection of portraits of English Catholic […]
National Portrait Gallery, London, Wednesday 13 November 2019. 10.00-16.40 Our Annual Seminar showcases new portrait research, curatorial case studies, inspiring examples of learning and audience engagement, provocations and challenges. Join us to hear a fantastic programme of speakers and meet other members of the professional network. This year’s event is chaired by Nicola Kalinsky, Director, […]
A study day hosted by Leeanne Westwood, Museum Curator at Valence House, and Understanding British Portraits Research Fellow Venue: Valence House, Becontree Avenue, Dagenham, RM8 3HT The event highlighted the extraordinary collection of Fanshawe family portraits in the care of Valence House Museum, dating from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries. Museum curator Leeanne Westwood introduced […]
A joint Subject Specialist Networks conference, 21 – 22 February 2018 Venues: Tate Britain; National Portrait Gallery, London; and National Gallery, London Please accept statistics, marketing cookies to enable this. This joint conference examined the motivations behind exhibition programming, the practical challenges, and the future of exhibitions. For example, do UK museums have the in-house […]
This year’s Annual Seminar took place in the National Portrait Gallery on Tuesday 9 October, chaired by Dr Jane Whittaker, Head of Collections at the Bowes Museum, and Dr Sarah Moulden, Curator of 19th-Century Collections (and Interim Curator, 20th-Century Collections) at the National Portrait Gallery. Papers presented new research findings as well as curatorial and audience learning case […]
Chaired by David Taylor, Curator of Pictures and Sculpture, National Trust This study day examined the outstanding portrait collection at Ham House near Richmond, the seventeenth-century home of the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale. We will have expert presentations on aspects of the collection’s early provenance and character, a later generation’s relationship with John Constable, […]
Since the twelfth century, Weston Park in Shropshire has been home to the de Weston, Mytton, Wilbraham, Newport and Bridgeman families in succession, and was gifted to the nation in 1986 by the 7th Earl of Bradford. This study day was led by Gareth Williams, Curator and Head of Learning, assisted by Sally Goodsir of […]
Venue: National Portrait Gallery, London. To coincide with the National Portrait Gallery’s Howard Hodgkin: Absent Friends exhibition, this half-day debate focused on the fundamental question of what constitutes a portrait. As much of Hodgkin’s portraiture is non-mimetic, this was an opportunity to consider the nature of the genre with a range of speakers from different […]
This seminar for scholars and museum professionals sought to explore some key themes around the nature of domestic interiors as found in British portraits from the early modern period to the present day. How can we start to interpret the pictorial world in which portrait sitters are placed? Are such spaces representations of contemporary interiors, […]
A collaborative workshop offered by the Understanding British Portraits professional network and The School of Historical Dress Venue: The School of Historical Dress, 52 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7PP. This practical workshop was delivered by the School of Historical Dress at its new premises in Lambeth. Delegates had a special opportunity to learn from two […]
This year’s Understanding British Portraits Annual Seminar took place at the National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday 29 November. The Annual Seminar aims to highlight current scholarly research, collections-based learning programmes, curatorial best practice, and conservation case studies. Annual Seminar 29 November 2017 – programme Short film of highlights from this event: Please accept statistics, marketing cookies […]
This half-day workshop was led by Caroline Smith, Education and Outreach Officer at Bethlem’s Museum of the Mind. Caroline received an Understanding British Portraits Bursary to research the small discrete group of patient portraits by society photographer Henry Hering (1814-93), which are now on display at the new Museum of the Mind. Other speakers presented […]
This study day focussed on the rich portrait collection at Hardwick Hall, the outstanding Elizabethan home built by ‘Bess’ of Hardwick, Countess of Shrewsbury. Hardwick is celebrated as a tour de force in Elizabethan stately architecture and interior planning, and is home to a remarkable historic textile and furniture collections. This event highlighted the portraits […]
This event comprised expert-led tours of three important portrait collections gathered by banking and financial institutions in London. The group visited the collections at Coutts & Co., Goldsmiths’ Hall, and N M Rothschild & Sons. Please see the PDFs below for the programme and references to further reading. Banking & financial institutions portrait collections 7 […]
A case study in early Industrialist portrait patronage, and commissioning contemporary responses This seminar has been postponed Chaired by Professor Ann Sumner, Head of Cultural Engagement, University of Leeds This seminar highlights the work of Laura Millward, Collections Assistant at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, and Understanding British Portraits Research Fellow 2016. Laura’s research […]
This year’s Annual Seminar took place on Thursday 8 December at the National Portrait Gallery, London. It was chaired by Professor Frances Spalding, Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and Dr Alixe Bovey, Head of Research at the Courtauld Institute. The Annual Seminar aims to highlight current scholarly research, innovative collections-based learning programmes, and curatorial case studies […]
To coincide with the National Portrait Gallery display The Real Tudors: Kings & Queens Rediscovered, this half-day workshop explored the underlying research project ‘Making Art in Tudor Britain’, as well as the curatorial challenges in translating that research into gallery interpretation. Delegates had the opportunity to share their own collection-based queries and research with the […]
This joint event explored core challenges in museum practice today – the role of cataloguing, research partnerships, and disseminating research findings. This two-day seminar represented a collaboration between three Subject Specialist Networks; the British Art Network; European paintings pre-1900; and the Understanding British Portraits network. It aimed to examine and investigate a range of […]
Members joined expert-led tours of the portrait collections at the University of Edinburgh, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and Archers’ Hall, home of The Royal Company of Archers. PDF download: Edinburgh collections 18 Sept ’15 – programme
This year’s Annual Seminar took place on Wednesday 25 November at the National Portrait Gallery, London. It aimed to highlight current scholarly research and interpretation, museum-based learning programmes, and curatorial practice relating to British portraits of all media and time periods. Annual Seminar 25 November 2015 – programme Annual Seminar 25 Nov 2015 – further […]
This study day examined in depth the extraordinary portrait collection of the Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey. The event consisted of an extended tour through the house led by Lucy Howgego, Heritage Consultant, and Matthew Hirst, Curator at Woburn Abbey, giving ample time for delegate discussion. Woburn Abbey portrait study day 9 Dec ’15 […]
This seminar explored aspects of portraiture at Knole from the 16th century to today. A range of expert speakers examined aspects of this rich heritage before in-depth tours led by Lord Sackville and Knole’s curators, conservators, and architectural historians. Knole seminar – programme Knole seminar – speakers Knole seminar – further reading Introduction to Knole […]
This event comprised expert-led visits to four portrait collections in Bath; the Holburne Museum (including the temporary exhibition Julian Opie: Collected Works); The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, known locally as The Min; the Bath Guildhall; and the Fashion Museum’s Georgians exhibition. See the programme below for summaries of these collections. Bath collections 22 […]
Venue: National Portrait Gallery, London This seminar showcased the various funding streams available to curators and art historical researchers at all stages in their careers. The morning session focused on the funding opportunities offered by the Art Fund, the Association of Art Historians, the British Academy, The Leverhulme Trust and The Paul Mellon Centre for […]
This year’s Understanding British Portraits Annual Seminar will took place on Wednesday 26 November 2014 at the National Portrait Gallery, London. We’re delighted that Dr Ellen McAdam, Director of Birmingham Museums Trust, and Dr Stephanie Pratt, independent scholar and Curator of Art, co-chaired the event. Our Annual Seminars aims to highlight and share current scholarly research, […]
This seminar explored the replication and distribution of portrait imagery from the sixteenth to twenty-first centuries. What was the demand for replication, and who satisfied it? What media were chosen, and why? What differentiates a copy, replica, and version? What was (and is) the implication for the ‘primary’ image, its maker, and the sitter? How […]
This seminar showcased excellent examples of collections undertaking collaborations with artists, sponsoring mentorships, and fostering participation projects with various audiences. Many of these innovative portrait-focused projects were taking place in the West Midlands at the time, as part of the Art in the Heart project. The seminar aimed to present some of these inspiring case […]
This event incorporated expert-led tours of four important healthcare and medical portrait collections in London: Apothecaries’ Hall, home of the Society of Apothecaries; St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and Museum; the Royal College of Surgeons of England; and the Royal College of Physicians. Professor Ludmilla Jordanova of Durham University acted as informal chairperson for the event. Please […]
The Annual Seminar took place at the National Portrait Gallery on 27 November 2013. Synopses of some of the papers can be found on this page, as well as handouts from the day. Annual Seminar 2013 – programme Annual Seminar 2013 – speakers Annual Seminar 2013 – further reading Dr Julian North, Senior Lecturer in […]
This seminar, held in collaboration with the Dress & Textile Specialists network, was hosted by Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery. Professor Aileen Ribeiro delivered the keynote address and speakers included Karen Hearn, 16th and 17th century Curator at Tate; Felicite Gillham, theatrical wig maker and hair historian; and Joanna Hashagen, Keeper of Textiles at […]
This seminar took place at Leeds Art Gallery, giving delegates the chance to view the wonderful collection of twentieth-century British portraits in the light of presentations exploring contemporary trends, collecting, commissioning and of course twenty-first century interpretation and display. Twentieth century British Portraits programme Twentieth century British Portraits speakers Twentieth century British Portraits reading
Ulrike Smalley, Senior Curator at the Imperial War Museum, kindly led a tour of this significant new exhibition, followed by refreshments in the Museum cafe. The exhibition (June 2012 to January 2013) ‘Here is the War. Here are the men and women fighting it. The soldiers, sailors, airmen, civil defenders and – The People.’ During […]
Twenty delegates attended this expert-led series of tours taking in the portrait collections at four Cambridge colleges. We are grateful to Dr Polly Blakesley (Pembroke); Peter Jones (King’s); Sarah Greaves (Murray Edwards); and Paul Simm (Trinity) for providing rare access to their colleges, and for sharing their in-depth knowledge of their collections. Please see the […]
The Annual Seminar took place at the National Portrait Gallery on 27 November 2012. Synopses of some of the papers can be found on this page, as well as handouts from the day. Annual Seminar 2012 programme Annual Seminar 2012 speakers Annual Seminar 2012 further reading Charlotte Bolland, Project Curator (Making Art in Tudor Britain), […]
This seminar took place at Dorset County Museum, Dorchester, to coincide with the major exhibition Georgian Faces: Portrait of a County (15 January to 30 April 2011). Synopses of presentations can be found on this page. Read more about the exhibition Georgian Faces: Portrait of a Countyon the museum’s website here. The exhibitions curator, Gwen […]
The owners of Blagdon Hall and Capheaton Hall generously welcomed delegates to their homes to explore their rich family portrait collections. Blagdon Hall, Northumberland Blagdon Hall has been owned by the same family since 1700, when it was acquired by Matthew White I (d.1716), a coal merchant, at the time of his marriage to Jane […]
This event comprised expert-led tours of three rich portrait collections in London with musical and theatrical themes. They included visits to the Garrick Club in Covent Garden, the Handel House Museum, and the Royal Academy of Music in Marylebone. Please see the document below for a little more information on the nature of the collections, […]
The network’s 5th Annual Seminar took place at the National Portrait Gallery on Tuesday 1 November 2011. Please find synopses of some of the presentations below, and handouts from the event. Annual Seminar 2011 programme Annual Seminar 2011 speakers Annual Seminar 2011 further reading Alexandra Gent, Paintings Conservator, Wallace Collection Reynolds Research Project The Wallace […]
The University of Oxford’s portrait collection is unrivalled in scope and diversity, and collectively constitutes the second largest portrait collection in the world – second only to that of the National Portrait Gallery, London. With over 3,000 portraits in the University and its constituent colleges, the collection is of major international importance and sheds a […]
This workshop explored a range of portrait themes relevant to the North East region; contemporary practice, historic collections, museum acquisitions and learning programmes. The following are synopses of the presentations. Bowes Museum Workshop programme Bowes Museum Workshop speakers Bowes Museum Workshop further reading In his welcome, the Bowes Museum director Adrian Jenkins drew attention to […]
This seminar took place at the National Portrait Gallery, and below you will find synopses of a range of the presentations and associated documents. Nineteenth century Photographic Portraiture programme Nineteenth century Photographic Portraiture speakers Nineteenth century Photographic Portraiture reading Documenting Photographs, by Anthea Jarvis Colin Ford CBE, former Keeper of Film & Photography at the […]
This event took place at the National Portrait Gallery on 19 October 2010. Below are synopses of some of the presentations, and relevant handouts. Annual Seminar 2010 programme Annual Seminar 2010 speakers Annual Seminar 2010 further reading Brett Dolman, Curator (Collections), Historic Royal Palaces Tudor portraits: sex, lies and interpretation In 2009, Historic Royal Palaces […]
This seminar examined the contemporary state of portraiture in Britain from a range of angles, including a contextual introduction from Dr. Grant Pooke, author of Contemporary British Art: An Introduction (Routledge, 2010), with contributions from three practising artists – Benjamin Sullivan, Gemma Anderson and Alastair Adams PRP (in conversation with his sitter Marc Crank) – […]
The network’s half-day workshop at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle explored North Eastern portraiture production and collections from the 17th century onwards, as well as various approaches to portrait interpretation. On this page you’ll find synopses of the presentations. Laing Art Gallery workshop 18 March 2009 programme The event was sponsored by the North […]
The 2009 Annual Seminar was held at the National Portrait Gallery, London, on 20 October. Below you’ll find synopses of some of the presentations made. Annual Seminar 2009 programme Annual Seminar 2009 speakers Bernard Horrocks, Copyright Officer, National Portrait Gallery Happy Copyright – some essential points Bernard helped demystify copyright by giving a clear definition […]
The Tudor & Jacobean workshop was held in the Painters’ Hall on Friday 4 December 2009. Below are synopses of some of the presentations. Tudor & Jacobean Workshop programme Tudor & Jacobean Workshop speakers Robert Tittler, Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada Portraits and painters in provincial England: an archival approach This […]
The 2008 Understanding British Portraits seminar was held at the National Portrait Gallery, London, on 21 October. Annual Seminar 2008 programme In the afternoon workshop, delegates considered six questions focusing on how the UBP network relates to their own work and organisation. Here is a summary of the responses. How do you see the Understanding […]