An iconic portrait of Lord Byron will be coming to his home at Newstead Abbey for an exhibition this summer, as part of a major National Portrait Gallery project.
The renowned painting of Byron by Thomas Phillips will be on display at his ancestral home at Newstead from 13 July until 3 November.
The portrait shows Byron at the age of 25, dressed in a traditional Albanian costume he had bought in 1809 while on his grand tour of Europe. It has since become one of the most famous and enduring images of the poet at the height of his fame and notoriety.
COMING HOME is a major project which sees the National Portrait Gallery lend 50 portraits of iconic individuals to places across the UK with which they are most closely associated. These artworks will be available for audiences to see in local museums, galleries and other venues, along with special programming available for families and communities.
Newstead Abbey will be open to the public every day throughout the school summer holidays, with free entry for all under-16s accompanied by a paying adult. This exciting project will form part of an extensive summer programme of exhibitions and events. Please visit newsteadabbey.org.uk for more details.
Councillor David Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said: “We are hugely excited to be welcoming this important portrait of Lord Byron to his home at Newstead Abbey. It will be a spectacular addition to our displays for what will be a truly exciting summer. Nottingham is proud to be a UNESCO City of Literature, and we are delighted to be working with the National Portrait Gallery to ‘bring home’ this painting of one of our most iconic literary sons.”
Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery said: “We are delighted to lend our portrait of Lord Byron to Newstead Abbey as part of our exciting new COMING HOME initiative. We hope that sending portraits ‘home’ in this way will foster a sense of pride and create a personal connection for local communities to a bigger national history; thus helping us to fulfil our aim of being truly a national gallery for everyone, in our role as the nation’s family album.”
COMING HOME has been made possible by the National Portrait Gallery, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, generous contributions from The Thompson Family Charitable Trust and funds raised at the Gallery’s Portrait Gala in 2017.
Usual admission prices to Newstead Abbey apply.
Please visit newsteadabbey.org.uk for more information.