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The Modern Portrait

Scottish National Portrait Gallery

On now until Sun 28 Mar 2021

Gallery Closed due to Covid-19

Admission Free

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In order to help protect the health of our staff and visitors during this difficult time, we have closed all of our Galleries.

This display collates some of the most recognisable modern and contemporary portraits from the national collection.

This rich survey of paintings, sculpture and works in other media features figures from science, politics, the arts, business and sport - it is a cross-section of well-known Scottish faces, from John Byrne, Alan Cumming and Tilda Swinton, to Annie Lennox, Frightened Rabbit's Scott Hutchison, and Naomi Mitchison.

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Display highlights

John Patrick Byrne, b. 1940. Artist, dramatist and stage designer (Self-portrait in a Flowered Jacket) John Byrne
Three Oncologists (Professor RJ Steele, Professor Sir Alfred Cuschieri and Professor Sir David P Lane of the Department of Surgery and Molecular... Ken Currie
Scott Hutchison, 1981 - 2018. Singer, songwriter and artist Ryan McGoverne
Wendy Wood, 1892 - 1981. Scottish Nationalist Stewart Carmichael
The Citizens (Robert David MacDonald, 1929 - 2004; Philip Prowse, b. 1937; Giles Havergal, b. 1938) Adrian Wiszniewski
Margaret Oliver Brown, 1912 - 1990 (verso: Studies of Two Female Heads) Margaret Oliver Brown
Naomi (Lady) Mitchison, 1897 - 1999. Author Percy Wyndham Lewis
Francis George Scott, 1880 - 1958. Composer William Johnstone
Poets' Pub Alexander (Sandy) Moffat
Alan Cumming, b.1965. Actor Christian Hook
Self-portrait Ewan Morrison
Denise Mina, b 1966. Crime writer and playwright Gerard M. Burns
Eric Robertson, 1887 - 1941. Artist. With Mary Newbery, 1890 - 1985 Cecile Walton
Susie Wolff: Portrait of a Racing Driver Angela Palmer
Don Paterson David Williams
Sir Adam Thomson, 1926 - 2000. Founder and chairman of British Caledonian Airways John Wonnacott
Ewen Bremner Julian George
Iain Glen Linda Nylind
Sir James Black, 1924 - 2010. Pharmacologist George Devlin
Self-Portrait Allan Martin & Annie Lennox
Alina Mirza and Suhayl Saadi with their daughter, Glasgow, 14 May 2011. From A Scottish Family Portraits series Verena Jaekel
[Portrait of Carol Kidd with song sheet] Eve Arnold
Event accessibility

Display accessibility

  • Large print labels
  • Wheelchair access

Location

Scottish National Portrait Gallery
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Gallery facilities

A full accessibility guide is available at www.accessibilityguides.org.

We provide a sensory map of the building to help visitors identify areas with changes in light, smells and noise. It locates seating areas and less crowded, quieter spaces. Printed copies are available from the front desk at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

  • Information desk
  • Wifi
  • Wheelchair access
  • Accessible toilets
  • Wheelchairs available
  • Public toilets
  • Lockers (£1/£2)
  • Baby changing facilities
  • Buggy park
  • Seating throughout
  • Bike rack

Getting here

Located in the city centre on Queen Street, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is easy to access.

In addition to the transport options below there are bike racks at each site and Just Eat Cycle Hire stations nearby.

Scottish National Portrait Gallery
  • <strong>Gallery Closed due to Covid-19</strong>
1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JD

Related Products

Related products

Three Oncologists by Ken Currie art print

£10.99

100 Masterpieces National Galleries of Scotland Collection (paperback)

£24.95

Scottish National Portrait Gallery guide (paperback)

£12.99
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