Commentaries on 350 famous portraits, with period and subject introductions setting them in their historical context, can be accessed simply by tapping in the numbers displayed with the logo, and on the captions to individual paintings and sculptures. You are entirely in control of what you choose to listen to on your visit, progressing at your own pace and in whatever order you decide. You can listen to a selection of recordings of the actual voices of great men and women of the late 19th and 20th century portraits included on the Guide. What you can hear Most of the commentaries are biographical in emphasis and last approximately 2 minutes. Using the portrait as a starting point for a brief description of the famous individual or group represented, they provide an account of the particular circumstances of the production of the portrait.
Different voices read related quotations and narrative to bring the portrait to life.
Music of the period is used selectively to enhance some of the commentaries, with particular relevance for portraits of composers and performers. Additional levels of information on important portrait painters of each period can also be accessed as desired. A special arrangement with the British Library National Sound Archive allows you to listen to recordings of the actual voices of 32 famous men and women in the Gallery's late 19th and 20th century galleries while viewing their portraits. Some of the recordings are from historic BBC broadcasts, others from pioneering gramophone records such as the splendidly robust Mr Gladstone congratulating Mr Edison on his invention. Following a brief biographical introduction, you will be able to hear Churchill describing the Iron Curtain, HG Wells predicting traffic problems, Virginia Woolf on the nuances of language, and many other classic voices, both familiar and unfamiliar, from our heritage.