A selection of historic and contemporary Scottish portraiture from the City Art Centre's permanent collection.
Portraiture is an age-old artform with a seemingly simple purpose: to record the likeness of a human subject. Yet the enduring appeal of portraiture lies in its complexity. Behind every portrait is a series of stories – interwoven narratives about the sitter, the artist, and the circumstances that brought them together.
Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture examines this fascinating genre in depth, with a selection of highlights from the City Art Centre’s permanent collection. Featuring examples of painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and photography, the exhibition spans almost 400 years of artistic production, from historic portraits by George Jamesone and Allan Ramsay to contemporary works by Flannery O’kafka and Sekai Machache. Unmasked shares new research findings from the collection and reveals several recent acquisitions, on display for the first time.

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Visitor information
Address
2 Market Street, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH1 1DE
0131 529 3993
Opening times
Mon - Sun 10am - 5pm
Closed 25 & 26 Dec, 1 & 2 Jan
Exclusions and safety measures
Admission free, but charges apply for some temporary exhibitions.