National Portrait Gallery to Hold Press Briefing for THE FACE OF BRITAIN, 4/1

You are invited to join us for a news briefing at the National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday 1 April at 9.15am (refreshments served from 8.30am) where we will announce details of our autumn display Simon Schama's The Face of Britain (16 September 2015-4 January 2016), and our partnership with the BBC. The collaboration also involves Oxford Film and TV who are making the television series for BBC Two and Viking/Penguin Random House who will publish the book.

To coincide with the broadcast and publication in the autumn of a new five-part TV series and book, there will be an illustrated preview presentation from historian and broadcaster Professor Simon Schama.

Introduced by the National Portrait Gallery's Chief Curator Dr Tarnya Cooper, the presentation will show highlights of new thematic displays of the Gallery's Collections reflecting Simon Schama'sinnovative and challenging exploration of the development, character and meanings of British portraiture. Five thematic displays presenting work from across the Collection will be staged throughout the Gallery taking a long view of the history of British portraits.

Published on the same day that the display opens, the book The Face of Britain will be a history of the British people, told through portraits. A beautiful, fully-illustrated hardback, Simon Schama will use a stunning and surprising array of images to tell the story of the British from the Tudors to the present day.

Please come to the Main Entrance at St Martin's Place. Doors open from 8.30am. If you can attend, I would be most grateful if you could please RSVP to me, Neil Evans in the Press Office, National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London WC2H OHE. Email nevans@npg.org.uk or phone 020 7312 2452.

Please could you let me know as soon as possible if you are able to join us as places are limited and allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

Timetable

8.30 Doors open and refreshments served

9.15 Presentation starts

10.00 Event ends