The Ondaatje Wing inscription (3800 x 1650mm) and the Tudor Gallery inscription (1440 x 900mm) are both carved into French Limestone which is also used for the floor of the entrance hall of the National Portrait Gallery’s new wing.
The narrow sans serif letterform was designed specifically for the white walls of the tall spacious interior. When cut the letters appear white in the honey coloured stone giving the inscriptions unity with the walls into which they are set.
Although the layouts are formal the use of capital letters for the text and lowercase letters for the names is an unusual juxtaposition reflecting the human scale of the works in the museum.
Architects: Jeremy Dixon, Edward Jones