LOVE STORIES from the National Portrait Gallery, London is coming to Amsterdam
A new sound: love, passion and tragedy
The sensational exhibition LOVE STORIES – ART, PASSION & TRAGEDY from the National Portrait Gallery in London is coming to Amsterdam. The European premiere of the exhibition will open the 2022/2023 exhibition season as part of a series of international collaborations. From Saturday 17 September 2022 until Sunday 8 January 2023, more than a hundred portraits about love, passion and tragedy are brought together in a unique way. The story will be enriched with a selection of Dutch portraits, which the Hermitage Amsterdam will present in collaboration with the Dutch National Portrait Gallery.
LOVE STORIES presents a selection of key portraits from the renowned collection of the National
Portrait Gallery in London. The world-famous gallery next to Trafalgar Square is home to the largest
collection of portraits in the world. The exhibition features masterpieces depicting ideas of love and
together they paint a moving picture of how love and desire have influenced portraiture throughout the
ages - from the late sixteenth century to the present. At its core are a series of real-life love stories
about love in all its forms; from romantic love to an artist’s obsession with a muse, and from romantic
tragedies and sorrow to love that triumphs against all odds.
LOVE STORIES is a collaboration between the National Portrait Gallery London, Hermitage
Amsterdam and the Dutch National Portrait Gallery.
Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London said: “We’re very excited to be sharing some of the National Portrait Gallery’s most cherished portraits with the Hermitage Amsterdam while the building in London is temporarily closed for our Inspiring People redevelopment. LOVE STORIES comprises some of the best portraits in our Collection dating from the sixteenth century to the present day and explores relatable themes, from romantic love, obsession and infatuation to tragedy and loss. At the heart of this exhibition are a series of real-life love stories that are universal and chronicle human experience. After such an unprecedented period of global change, we hope international audiences can come together in person and engage with this visual exploration of love in all its forms.”
Legendary couples and artists
The exhibition presents audiences with an opportunity to encounter works of art that are usually on
display at the gallery in London. Featuring legendary couples including Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred
Douglas, Emma Hamilton and Admiral Lord Nelson, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, John Lennon
and Yoko Ono, Prince Charles and Princess Diana as well as Victoria and David Beckham. LOVE
STORIES includes a remarkable selection of portraits made by famous artists such as Anthony van
Dyck (1599 – 1641), Angelika Kauffmann (1741 – 1807), Lee Miller (1907 – 1977), Lucian Freud
(1922 – 2011) and David Hockney (1937).
Dutch National Portrait Gallery
LOVE STORIES has been on display in the United States and will continue to tour around the world.
The Dutch National Portrait Gallery (DNPG) brought the National Portrait Gallery, London (NPG) and
the Hermitage Amsterdam together to present this engaging exhibition in the Netherlands. The Dutch
National Portrait Gallery was founded in 2014 and creates on-site exhibitions in collaboration with
museums and collectors. LOVE STORIES is an opportunity for the National Portrait Gallery in London
to support the DNPG in their next stage of development, to show the Dutch public what a Dutch
Portrait Gallery is, what collection can be built, the range of themes, people and artists portrayed and
how history can be recorded and told through portraits.
A new course
The Hermitage Amsterdam will remain open while behind the scenes it is planning its new course. By
entering into new and varied partnerships with world-famous museums, the Dutch public will be able to
experience exceptional exhibitions. LOVE STORIES from the National Portrait Gallery, London is the
first international partnership and for now, will be programmed under our current public name,
Hermitage Amsterdam.
Dates
LOVE STORIES – ART, PASSION & TRAGEDY, Saturday 17 September 2022 – Sunday 8 January 2023.
National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 to encourage, through portraiture, the appreciation
and understanding of the people who have made and are making British history and culture. Today it
promotes engagement with portraiture in all media to a wide-ranging public by conserving, growing
and sharing the world’s largest collection of portraits.
The Gallery in St Martin’s Place, London is currently closed until 2023, while essential building works take place on the Inspiring People redevelopment project, which will transform the Gallery, including a complete refurbishment of the building and a new learning centre. During the closure period, the Gallery will continue to share its Collection through its digital channels and a series of nationwide partnerships and collaborations. www.npg.org.uk