National Portrait Gallery Acquires Only Known Photographs of Ada Lovelace via Bonhams Private Treaty Sale
The National Portrait Gallery in London has acquired the only known photographs of Ada Lovelace through a private treaty sale facilitated by Bonhams. The acquisition comprises three daguerreotypes, including two by Antoine Claudet taken around 1843 and a third by an unknown photographer after a painting by Henry Wyndham Phillips. The purchase was supported by Tim Lindholm and Lucy Gaylord Lindholm through the American Friends of the National Portrait Gallery. Louise Williamson of Bonhams noted that private treaty sales enable museums to acquire pre-eminent works at a special price reflecting shared tax incentives.
The Signal
The photographs capture Lovelace at key moments, including around the 1843 publication of her paper on Babbage's Analytical Engine, often cited as the first computer program. Their addition to the collection allows the Gallery to represent her from life and highlight her role as a scientific visionary. The images also document the early adoption of photography by scientists and its intersection with emerging computational ideas.
- People: Louise Williamson, Matthew Haley, Tim Lindholm, Lucy Gaylord Lindholm, Antoine Claudet, Henry Wyndham Phillips
- Auction Houses: Bonhams
- Museums: National Portrait Gallery
- Locations: London
The Morning Signal · Daily
Get stories like this in your inbox
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
The Jobs Digest · Weekly
New art-world jobs, every Monday
The Jobs Digest rounds up the week’s new museum, gallery, and auction-house openings — with salary when disclosed. One email a week, unsubscribe anytime.
