NPG - Receipts for portraits returned to their owners, 1856-1926

This series contains files of loose letters acknowledging the receipt and return of portraits viewed and declined by the Trustees, 1856-1922.

From 1857 onwards the National Portrait Gallery Trustees have approved the purchase of portraits and also agreed to accept portraits offered to the Gallery as donations. At the Trustees' meeting dated 16 Feb 1857 they agreed that at least three quarters of the Trustees had to approve of portraits for them to be accepted. Initially this applied to both Primary Collection portraits and prints and drawings for the Reference Collection, but after… they only had to approve of additions to the Primary Collection.

Available to view by appointment in the Heinz Archive and Library Public Study Room, to make an appointment contact Archive Reception . Although records are generally available for public consultation, some information in them, such as personal data or information supplied to the Gallery in confidence, may be restricted.

The complete catalogue for this archive can be searched via the NPG Archive Catalogue .

Personal photography is permitted for research purposes only. Photocopying is not permitted.

Further information about the acquisition of portraits can be found in the annual reports (NPG10), Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meetings (NPG1), accession registers (NPG42)and the Registered Packets for individual portraits (NPG46).