In his BBC series ‘The Face of Britain’ historian and writer Simon Schama explored British portraiture and what it revealed about the ‘individual and collective psyche’ of the time. With the NPG’s wide-ranging Autumn 2016 exhibition of Picasso’s portraits, he turns his attention to the painter’s evocations of lovers, family and friends. With writer and novelist Lisa Appignanesi, Chair of the RSL, Schama reflects on some of the differences between representing character in words and on canvas.

We are grateful to the National Portrait Gallery, our partner for this event.