Historian simon schama joins forces with national portrait gallery curators to create five new displays exploring the development, character and meanings of british portraiture. Staged throughout the gallery, portraits from across the collection will be displayed for the first time by theme rather than chronology, taking a long view of the history of portraits in each room. Each display will comprise a cross period selection in various media, exploring one of the following themes power, love, fame, people and self. Simon schama's the face of britain will broadcast on bbc two in september coincide with the broadcast of a new five part tv series on bbc two and the publication of an accompanying book by viking penguin random house this autumn. Running time 300 minutes region region 2 release date 16 nov. 2015