I had to go to London yesterday. I found myself with a couple of hours on my own and I went to the National Portraits Gallery. Never before even imagined going in there. I'm still not sure why I decided to go yesterday.
Regardless, I thought it was really worthwhile. Kings, Queens, other royals, politicians, inventors, scientists, poets, actors, scandalous women and loads of others are all there. Although the most spectacular works are of the Kings & Queens, I probably liked seeing some of the lesser known politicians and the inventors/scientists/engineers more.
I guess from an Irish point-of-view I found the treatment of Lord John Russell, Prime Minister for most of the Famine, most interesting.
On display there is a statue of Russell from 1832 and a portrait of him in 1851. He looks proud and confident in the 1832 sculpture, but in the 1851 portrait, his eyes are nearly shut and his head is turned away from us. You get the impression he's ashamed of what his government has done (or not done).
