Royal Society of Portrait Painters | Annual Exhibition 2022

Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition 2022

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters is delighted to welcome you to their Annual Exhibition 2022, held at Mall Galleries!

This annual exhibition is an occasion for the public to enjoy the Society's artist members' most recent works and to discover new talents selected amongst thousands of applications for this show. It is a celebration of the very best in contemporary portraiture nationally and internationally.

The RP Patron H.M The Queen has reigned for over half of the time the Royal Society of Portrait Painters has existed. As one of the most painted figures in history, her epoch has been intertwined with portraiture, and as such, intimately connected with members of the Royal Society. On this her Platinum Jubilee the Royal Society of Portrai Painters is showing a curated selection of portraits of our monarch by past and present member artists, alongside our Annual Exhibition. The works range from the youthful figure with gravitas depicted in Pietro Annigoni's famous second portrait and the informal image captured by June Mendoza to the regal aura in Andrew Festing's work and the sagacious nonagenarian portrayed by Miriam Escofet, which will be shown to the public for the first time in this exhibition.

Every year, the RP exhibition offers the opportunity for exhibiting artists to win generous Prizes and Awards. This year, over £40,000 worth of cash Prizes and Awards will be given to the winners, including the RP Award (worth £2,000) with the theme of Self-Portrait. 

What to Expect? 

• An opportunity to enjoy one of the world’s most extensive contemporary portrait exhibitions forming a showcase of some 200 works.
• Commission a work from an established portrait painter.
• A collection of portraits to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of the RP Patron, H.M. The Queen
• A team of dedicated professionals to help and advise your purchase.

Exhibition Tour by President Richard Foster

How to Commission a Portrait?

Learn more about portrait commissions here.

About the Royal Society of Portrait Painters

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters contains a broad collection of stylistic and intellectual approaches that continue to make a significant contribution to the ongoing tradition of portraiture in Britain today. The Society vigorously looks to uphold the values and practices of its long and distinguished history, but at the same time, it seeks to explore and develop new artistic models and perspectives in this endlessly fascinating and relevant discipline.

The Society aims to encourage the appreciation, study and practice of the art of portraiture.