A seven-panel mural depicting 130 women from British history and culture has been commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) as part of a three-year project to enhance female representation in its collection.

Work in progress, by Jann Haworth and her daughter Liberty Blake, was inspired by the album cover for the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which Haworth co-created with Peter Blake in 1967. It draws together many stencilled, life-size depictions of cultural figures – some never before represented at the NPG – into a single image.

Work in progress resulted in the NPG doubling the number of women on the walls of its post-1900 galleries to 48% when it reopened in June after major refurbishment. When the doors opened, more than 200 portraits of women made after 1900 and more than 100 portraits by women made after 1900 will be displayed. The women depicted range from the 1st century onwards and encapsulate a wide spread of professions and backgrounds, from Boudicca to Dame Mary Beard.

The mural also depicts 26 important figures who, until now, have not been represented in the gallery’s collection, from the nurse Dame Elizabeth Anionwu and the vaccinologist Dame Sarah Gilbert, to the comedian and disability rights activist Barbara Lisicki and the 19th-century freedom seeker and abolitionist Ellen Craft. ‘For the viewer, the mural presents an opportunity to see life-sized figures from throughout history, impossibly crowded together,’ said Blake. ‘The idea that Elizabeth I might stand shoulder to shoulder with Lady Caroline Norton in a crowd is amusing, invokes curiosity, and helps people learn more about the contributions of some of the women who have played a part in shaping the world that we live in.’ (Information based on the Guardian article 8.3.2023)

We at The Ipswich Society felt it was time for us to similarly celebrate the women of our town who have received Blue Plaques since the inception of the scheme in 2000. Our Vice-Chairman, Tony Marsden, was inspired to create our mini-poster (shown on the back cover) using the photographic images from our archive, some manipulation and colourisation to produce what we hope will be a striking and imposing salute.

Incidentally, the Ipswich Women's Festival Group website and trail celebrates thirty-one Ipswich women throughout history (www.ipswichwomensfestivalgroup.co.uk). The group is always interested to hear of further candidates for inclusion.  

RG

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