Imagined Lives

Fourteen portraits from the 16th and 17th centuries, once thought to depict famous sitters such as Elizabeth I and Lady Arabella Stuart, are now on display at the National Portrait Gallery. The identities of the paintings’ subjects is unknown, but research undertaken in part by MA students from the University of Bristol is presented alongside the portraits, suggesting possible identities.

Inspired by these portraits, internationally renowned authors John Banville, Tracy Chevalier, Julian Fellowes, Alexander McCall Smith, Terry Pratchett, Sarah Singleton, Joanna Trollope and Minette Walters have imagined what the lives of these sitters might have been like. Their fictional biographies and character sketches accompany the exhibition.

Imagined Lives: Portraits of Unknown People is on display at the National Portrait Gallery until 3 June 2012 and admission is free. For more information, visit the National Portrait Gallery website

If you enjoyed this, why not take a look at some of our other image galleries?