About this Event
In 18th-century Britain, portraiture and history painting became stages on which ambition, status and identity could be performed. Artists drew on the visual language of theatre, fashion and spectacle to create dazzling images of a society increasingly fascinated by celebrity, taste and public reputation.
In this tour of the National Gallery, we explore works by artists including William Hogarth, George Stubbs, Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds. From swaggering aristocrats and fashionable sitters to celebrated actors and public figures, their paintings reveal a world in which appearance mattered—and in which artists played an important role in shaping how people wished to be seen.
Along the way, we consider the relationship between art and the theatre, the changing conventions of portraiture, the emergence of the celebrity, and the ways in which paintings could communicate—and sometimes challenge—ideas about class, gender, politics and social ambition. We will also ask how notions of “taste” were constructed and circulated, and how the expanding audience for art helped contribute to the emergence of a more modern public culture.
Rather than treating these paintings simply as records of their subjects, the tour considers them as carefully crafted performances: images that both reflected and helped shape the ambitions, anxieties and aspirations of 18th-century British society.
This private tour is delivered by art historian
Upon booking you will receive an automated email from Eventbrite confirming your place and offering further information on our meeting place.
Please meet at the bottom of the stairs in the Sainsbury's Wing at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. As this is a small, private tour, places are strictly limited and the tour often sells out quickly, so early booking is recommended.
Note that the tour involves prolonged periods of standing, climbing stairs and moving through galleries that may be busy. Comfortable footwear is recommended, and guests should be prepared to manoeuvre around other visitors and navigate occasionally crowded spaces.
We look forward to welcoming you for this special opportunity to experience the museum and its collection in a small-group setting!
Event venue & nearby stays
The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.