The National Portrait Gallery presents The Queen: Art and Image

“To mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, this landmark exhibition brings together some of the most remarkable and resonant images of Elizabeth II made during her reign.

From formal painted portraits to commissioned photographs and from press images to works by celebrated contemporary artists, the exhibition charts the evolving representation of one of the most portrayed people of all time, and the influence of this imagery on changing perceptions of the monarchy.”

Paul Moorehead writes,

“representing the Queen pictorially is nothing new. But in the last 60 years, the vast proliferation of images of the Queen, in all media, surpasses historical antecedents.”

Queen Elizabeth II

The second longest serving British monarch became heir to the throne in 1936 on the accession of her father George VI. Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten in 1947, and their first children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne were born in 1948 and 1950 respectively. She became Queen Elizabeth in 1952 whilst on an official trip to Kenya after the death of her father, and her coronation followed in 1953.

The exhibit runs from May 17th to October 21st 2012 at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) London, England.

Click here for the exhibition homepage.

Click here to ready the LA Times Article on the exhibition.

Click here to see 731 portraits of Queen Elizabeth II available for free via the NPG website.