Tuesday 15 May 2012

167. JIMMY PAGE by ROSS HALFIN

THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

This is my 167th blog , and the first time I have not, strictly speaking, chosen the image.

Why is it here?

This is the 100,000th portrait image added to the online collection of the National Portrait Gallery.

It's a signed, limited edition bromide print, (428mm x 329mm) taken in 2009, and  recently given to the Gallery by Dave Brolan on behalf of Jimmy Page, legendary guitarist and song writer. It's part of a portfolio of 5 photographs: the others are Page performing with Led Zeppelin (known at the time, at least by some, as 'the biggest band in the world'); Jorgen Angel in Copenhagen in 1970; Dick Barnatt at Earls Court Arena in 1975; Neal Preston at Chicago Stadium in 1977 and Baron Wolman at Oakland Coliseum in California also in 1977.

This print marks a digitisation milestone for the National Portrait Gallery. It began to digitise its collections in 1996. starting with the Primary Collection and moving on to Archives and Photographs in 1999. At that point money from the then Culture, Media and Sports Department meant that the team was expanded to two people...

A substantial donation from the Lerner Foundation in 2008 enabled the Gallery to dramatically increase the number of works available to us, the general public, via its website. 2012 will continue to be a significant year in that money from the Garfield Weston Trust will build a dedicated photographic studio which opens up all manner of new possibilites.

 It seems like the moment to congratulate everyone involved in the National Portrait Gallery's  achievements. And why not stop now and visit the website to explore the Collection or search for you own favourite sitter or artist?








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