Images of leading Parliamentarians form a key part of the art collection and include Members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The portrait of Baroness Amos, by Paul Benney, and the portrait of Lord Falconer, by Michael Taylor, are among them.
Portraits
Watch the two short films of Baroness Howells talking about the contrasting portraits of Baroness Amos and Lord Falconer of Thoroton. She explains why they are some of her favourite artworks in the collection.
Introductory information about the works is given below. You can also download the teachers' notes for further information and classroom activities for students aged 7-11.
About
A good portrait is an artwork that depicts not only the person but also their character. It can be in almost any form – painting, drawing, photography, illustration, sculpture etc. Sometimes portraits include objects and symbols that tell the viewer something about who that person is, what they do, where they are from, what their interests are.
This resource examines two portraits selected from over 2,000 images in the collection.
Portrait of Baroness Amos
Baroness Amos became a Peer in 1997 and has worked in various roles in the House of Lords throughout her career. She was Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council from 2003 to 2007. In 2003 she became the first black female leader of the House of Lords.
The Artist
Paul Benney worked as a carpenter and musician before he travelled to New York in 1982 and began his career as an artist. However, it wasn’t until he returned to Britain in 1997 that he took on his first portrait commission.
He has painted politician Iain Duncan Smith and his paintings are in the collections of many prestigious galleries around the world.
Portrait of Lord Falconer of Thoroton
Lord Falconer of Thoroton's career in the House of Lords began in 1997 when he became Baron Falconer of Thoroton, in the County of Nottinghamshire. He was the Lord Chancellor from 2003 to 2007 and was also the last person to combine the roles of Speaker, Lord Chancellor and Head of the Judiciary.
The Artist
Michael Taylor is a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and has won numerous awards for his work. His portrait of Baroness James of Holland Park (a Member of the House of Lords, although more commonly known as writer PD James) is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. He prefers to work carefully on one painting at a time and usually spends about three months on each composition.