The motto of the National Portrait Gallery is “Meet the Locals” and I must say, they are a fascinating bunch. Not surprisingly, on display are a large number of superbly rendered, and probably overly flattering (pity the poor artist who did not please the crown), of various members of British royalty and the aristocracy. There are also many later depictions of Victorian era luminaries and (a few too many for my liking) works celebrating the “glory” of Empire. For a radical shift in style, head to the ground floor to view the colorful and sometimes eccentric likenesses of more modern British notables such as David Bowie and Doris Lessing.