Imagined lives : mystery portraits 1540-1640

In an exciting new research project the National Portrait Gallery has worked with the University of Bristol to discover the identity of mystery sitters in the Collection.

To highlight this research, the Gallery has commissioned some of Britain and Ireland's leading writers to explore the evidence and to create playful stories about the lives of these unknown Tudor and Stuart sitters.

The imaginary biographies in this volume provide new ways of looking at portraits in which the subject is unknown.

Seven contemporary authors with international reputations have responded imaginatively to what can be seen in the portrait, exploring details of costume and pose in intriguing ways.

Together they have created an imaginative range of letters, diaries, mini-biographies and brief memoirs, in which they explore some of the reasons why these people might have had their portrait painted.

Each writer brings the sitter vividly to life, using facial expressions and other clues from the paintings, and often developing, moving stories for their invented characters.