Vasco da Gama: 500th Anniversary

Fictional Heroes & Villains

Titanic

Queen Elizabeth II

King Charles III

April 2024 Upload Highlights

Paris Olympics 2024

In celebration of Paris 2024 we take this opportunity of looking back at previous Olympic Games and at their ancient origins.

The Coronation

On 6th May 2023 King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be crowned at their coronation at Westminster Abbey. Something that has not been seen in nearly 70 years.

Spanning 1,000 years of history and largely unchanged, the coronation promises to be an extraordinary spectacle. In our gallery we look back at previous coronations and get an idea of what we might expect to see.

The Sad Death of Elizabeth II

With the sad news that Queen Elizabeth II has died, we take this opportunity to remember and celebrate the long and devoted life of the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom.

Royal Wedding

With the wedding of Prince Henry of Wales (Prince Harry) and Meghan Markle to be held on Saturday 19th May, we take the opportunity to look at Royal Weddings past.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021

With the sad announcement of the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, we take a chance to remember his extraordinary life in nine decades of pictures.

October 20 New Content

We are pleased to share just a taste of some of the exciting new content that is constantly been added to the Heritage Images website. We hope that you enjoy our unique online collection which has been meticulously curated from the world’s foremost museum, galleries and private collections.

Napoleon 200th Anniversary

On 5th May 1821 Napoleon Bonaparte died. The French statesman and military leader is regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in history. His political and cultural legacy has made him one of the most celebrated and controversial historical figures.

He led many successful campaigns during the French Revolution and the French Revolutionary Wars, and was Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814 and again briefly in 1815 during the Hundred Days War.

Beethoven 250th

2020 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) .

Beethoven was born in December 1770 in Bonn, Germany. The composer and pianist’s music ranks amongst the most performed and he remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music.

Notre-Dame

French President Emmanuel Macron vows to rebuild the medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame after a major fire partially destroys the iconic Parisian landmark.

Thankfully firefighters managed to save the 850-year-old Gothic building‘s main stone structure, including its two towers but the restoration project will be immense.

We wish the teams of experts, restorers and crafts people the very best in the challenge that lies ahead of them.

Moon Landing: 50th Anniversary

July 20th will be the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Apollo 11 was the name given to the spaceflight that landed the first two people on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the lunar module, Eagle, on July 20th, 1969, at 20:17 GMT.

Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface six hours after landing on July 21st at 02:56:15 GMT; Aldrin joined him about 20 minutes later.

Armstrong‘s first step onto the lunar surface was broadcast live to a worldwide TV audience of more 530 million. He described the event as ’one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind‘.

Leonardo: 500th Anniversary

2nd May will mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci.

The great Italian polymath defined the Renaissance with wide ranging interests including: invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography.

He has been variously called the father of palaeontology, ichnology, and architecture he is also widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time. Sometimes credited with the inventions of the parachute, helicopter, and tank he is the epitome of the Renaissance humanist ideal.

Queen Victoria: 200th Anniversary

4th May sees the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria.

Coming to the throne at just 18, her reign of 63 years and seven months was longer than that of any of her predecessors. The last British Monarch of the House of Hanover oversaw a period of industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom, seeing a great expansion of the British Empire.

Victoria married her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840. Their nine children married into royal houses of Europe earning her the name ‘the grandmother of Europe’. After Albert‘s death in 1861, Victoria plunged into deep mourning adopting the iconic black mourning clothes that she would wear for the rest of her life.

Kirk & Sons of Cowes

A selection of beautiful marine photographs by Kirk & Sons of Cowes charting the history of yachting from the late 19th century to the 1930s. Enjoying royal patronage, Kirk & Sons captured a bygone age of the sport; the sport of royalty, the rich and the privileged. Their maritime subjects included sailing yachts, steam yachts, early flying boats, power boats, warships and liners, as well as remarkable portraiture of the British Royal Family and other European royalty.

WWI Collection

In the year that sees the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, we are honoured to have had the pleasure of restoring, cataloguing and researching a unique photographic document of the period.

This unique and hidden record of the First World War was discovered at auction by passionate collector Sheldon Marshall. Heritage Images have painstakingly restored and researched this iconic collection allowing it to be viewed in its entirety for the first time. Extensively researched and translated from its original French captioning, the collection sheds new light on the lives of the everyday soldier and the dramatic and tragic events which took place between 1914 and 1918.

Lasting from 28th July 1914 to 11th November 1918, World War I saw over nine million combatants and seven million civilians die.

At 11am on the 11th November 1918, ‘the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month’, a ceasefire came into effect that would end of one of deadliest conflicts in history.

Alan John Ainsworth

It is a great pleasure to welcome our newest content partner, Alan John Ainsworth.

Alan‘s effortlessly stylish images capture the passion, urgency and energy of the live performance.

Delightfully capturing the performer in the moment, Alan‘s images engage the viewer by evoking the mood of the live jazz venue.

With enviable access to some of the worlds most talented artists Alan‘s images read as a Who‘s Who of the jazz world.

Bayeux Tapestry

With the exciting news that the Bayeux tapestry is set to be displayed in England for the first time in 950 years, we take the opportunity to take a look at this great work of art and the events of 1066 that inspired it.

The Coronation

In celebration of the 65th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II‘s coronation, we look at Queen Elizabeth‘s own coronation on 2nd June 1953 and the coronations of some of the monarchs that proceeded her.

‘The Coronation’ will air on BBC One at 20:00 on Sunday 14 January, 2018.

Ashmolean

We take great pride in announcing our newest content partner, the Asmolean! Founded in 1683, the Ashmolean is the University of Oxford‘s museum of art and archaeology. Their world famous collections range from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time.

From Henry VIII‘s hunting gloves to Guy Fawkes‘ Lantern, from Oliver Cromwell‘s death mask to magnificent studies by Raphael, the content of the Ashmolean makes it deservedly one of the greatest academic institutions.

Vote 100

2018 sees the culmination of the Vote 100 project which is a Parliamentary project to mark the following upcoming anniversaries:

• February 2018 - 100th anniversary of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which enabled all men and some women over the age of 30 to vote for the first time;
• April 2018 - 60th anniversary of the Life Peerages Act 1958, which allowed women to sit in the House of Lords;
• July 2018 - 90th anniversary of the Equal Franchise Act 1928, which gave women the right to vote at age 21 on the same terms as men;
• October 2018 - 60th anniversary of women sitting in the House of Lords for the first time;
• November 2018 - 100th anniversary of the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918, allowing women to stand for election to the House of Commons;
• December 2018 - 100th anniversary of all men and some women voting for the first time, in the general election of December 1918.

World War I 100th Anniversary

2018 sees the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.

Lasting from 28th July 1914 to 11th November 1918, World War I saw over nine million combatants and seven million civilians die.

At 11am on the 11th November 1918, "the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month", a ceasefire came into effect that would end of one of deadliest conflicts in history.

Martin Luther

It has been 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Luther is celebrated as the theologian whose writings inspired the Protestant Reformation.

Martin Luther (1483–1546), the German professor of theology, composer, priest and seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation.

National Motor Museum

Heritage Images is proud to continue its long partnership with the National Motor Museum with the magnificent addition of the Brunell Collection.

This unique collection of 5,000 images, taken mainly on glass plates, provides an astonishing insight into British motorsport in the 1920s and 1930s.

These seminal works have undergone extensive preservation, documentation and digitisation work and are a testament to the artistry of photographer and racing driver WJ (Bill) Brunell.

Our gallery takes a look at this exciting new addition alongside some of the other works we already hold from the national Motor Museum, illustrating the history of motoring from the earliest steam cars of the 19th century to contemporary models of today.

Edward VIII

11th Dec 2016 will mark 80 years since King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom abdicated to marry the divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson. This famously led to his younger brother, the Duke of York, becoming King George VI.

Edward (1894-1972) succeeded his father George V to the throne as King Edward VIII in 1936. He only ruled from 20th January 1936 until 11th December 1936, and abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson thus heading off an impending constitutional crisis.

Jazz Prints for your Home

An exclusive range of framed and unframed prints, canvases and posters from the National Jazz Archive and Images of Jazz collections is now available.

Both collections are photographically stunning and capture the excitement and atmosphere of the live performance, the charming informality of off-stage moments and the intensity of the creative process with equal ease and style.

The National Jazz Archive holds the UK’s finest collection of written, printed and visual material on jazz, blues and related music, from the 1920s to the present day and includes the photographic work of the brilliant Denis Williams. His photography, dating from the 1950s, represents a golden age of the popularity of jazz.

The Images of Jazz collection represents the photography of the outstanding Brian O’Connor and portrays a unique record of jazz in the Capital and the South-East from the 1970s to the present day.

Nimrud

National Museum of Wales

Heritage Images is pleased to announce its representation of the National Museum of Wales.

Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales has seven museums across Wales with collections encompassing fine art, natural sciences, social and industrial history. The art collection at National Museum Cardiff is one of Europe’s finest encompassing five hundred years of magnificent paintings, drawings, ceramics and silverware from Wales and across the world. Works range from van de Capelle’s Dutch masterpiece A Calm through to works by Canaletto, Constable, Turner, the pre-Raphaelites and Gwen John. National Museum Cardiff has one of the finest collections of Impressionist and Post Impressionist works outside Paris, including major works by Monet, Cezanne, Renoir and van Gogh.

All That Jazz

The National Jazz Archive holds the UK’s finest collection of written, printed and visual material on jazz, blues and related music, from the 1920s to the present day and includes the photographic work of the brilliant Denis Williams. The Images of Jazz collection represents the photography of the outstanding Brian O’Connor and is bought to you by Jazz Services, the UK’s foremost charitable support organisation for jazz music, in partnership with the National Jazz Archive.

Both collections are photographically stunning and capture the excitement and atmosphere of the live performance, the charming informality of off-stage moments and the intensity of the creative process with equal ease and style.

Featuring amongst others such greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck and Buddy Rich, Heritage Images is delighted to also be able to offer many of these extraordinary photographs as framed prints and canvases.

Winston Churchill

2015 is a year of many anniversaries for the former U.K Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Not only is it the 50th anniversary of his death but the 75th anniversary of his first becoming Prime Minister, and the 75th anniversary of his ‘Finest Hour’ at the Battle of Britain.

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill (1874-1965) was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century.

Churchill was born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough a branch of the Spencer family and his father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was also a charismatic politician. Prior to his celebrated leadership during the Second World War Churchill had seen action as a young army officer, in the Sudan and the Second Boer War. He also gained fame as a war correspondent and wrote eminent books about his campaigns.

We are proud of our comprehensive collection of Churchillian imagery at Heritage Images and we invite you to browse a small selection of our considerable archive in our specially created gallery.

History of Cuba

Heritage Images, through our content partner The Print Collector, is thrilled to announce the representation of an extremely rare, pre revolution, collection of historic Cuban images.

We have painstakingly restored and researched, what we believe to be the most comprehensive visual archive on Cuban history available on the internet today.

This fascinating and rapidly growing collection records the turbulent and captivating history of this the largest island in the Caribbean.

We are pleased to be able to offer this collection not only for editorial usage but also for decorative framed and canvas prints.

This gallery is just a selection from our comprehensive Cuban collection

Tour de France

This year’s Tour de France has caused great excitement as it has made it’s way through England. As La Tour heads back to the continent for the next stages we have taken the opportunity to create a gallery tracing the history of pedal power.

Ming

The next major exhibition at The British Museum will be ‘Ming: 50 Years That Changed China’. Beginning 18th September this blockbuster has inspired us to create a gallery of our own fantastic Ming Dynasty pieces.

Football

As the 2014 World Cup close approaches we thought we would get you in the mood for Brazil 2014 with a gallery of all things football. Enjoy!

Marie Curie

On July 4th it will be the 80th anniversary of the death of physicist and chemist, Marie Curie (7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934). The first women to be awarded a Nobel Prize, Curie’s achievements are astonishing. As well as coining the term radioactivity she discovered two elements polonium and radium.

This icon of the scientific world was voted ‘most inspirational woman in science’ in a 2009 poll carried out by New Scientist. We pay tribute to her achievements in our gallery.

The Past in Colour

Our digitisation and restoration team continue to create exceptional colourised works. Have you ever wondered what Darwin, Queen Victoria or Einstein might look like if photographed in colour? Well our team have created just that! With scrupulous research and great artistry these works aim to bring the past alive and that little bit closer.

Vikings

Vikings: Life and Legend is the first major exhibition on Vikings that the British Museum has held in over 30 years. The British Museum’s blockbuster exhibition showcases numerous rare objects that haven’t been seen before in the U.K and many key artefacts from their own spectacular collection.

We have taken this opportunity to create a gallery featuring our own magnificent Viking material, which is drawn from museums and galleries from across the globe.

The History of Advertising Trust

We are pleased to launch our new content partner the History of Advertising Trust! Over the past thirty-five years the History of Advertising Trust has amassed the largest archive of British advertising in the world, dating from 1800 to the present.

This unique collection includes posters, agency proofs, press and magazine advertisements, photographs, transparencies, original illustrations and artwork as well as TV and cinema commercials.

The material is an invaluable source of information and imagery for a variety of clients including advertising agencies, researchers, TV production companies, journalists, broadcasters, book and magazine publishers, card and calendar producers, academics and social historians.

Sir John Tenniel

We mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Sir John Tenniel (28 February 1820 – 25 February 1914) with a retrospective look at the remarkable work of this prolific cartoonist and illustrator.

Knighted by Queen Victoria in 1893, Tenniel’s work is considered important to the study of 19th century social, literary and art histories.

Tenniel is most noted for two major accomplishments: he was the principal political cartoonist for England’s Punch magazine for over 50 years and he was the artist who illustrated Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.

Shakespeare

Maria Callas

Van Gogh

Beethoven

Munch

World War I

Taylor & Burton

CM Dixon

Margaret Thatcher

St Francis of Assisi

Richard III

The astonishing discovery of Richard III under a car park in Leicester has caused waves of excitement across the archaeological world. His remains lost since the 16th century, Richard was the last English King to die in Battle and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty.

Over the centuries the King who died at the Battle of Bosworth Field has been much written about and mythologised, probably most famously by Shakespeare in his eponymous play. Richard III remains to this day a contentious and enigmatic figure.

We have celebrated the discovery of Richard with a newly commissioned portrait. After much research and with new information coming from the dig in Leicester, we truly believe that this is the most accurate painting of the former King to date.

The Beatles

Greenwich

George Washington

Royal Baby

Tutankhamen

JFK

Made in Britain

Coronation Anniversary

2012 Olympics

Liz Taylor

Titanic

American Civil War

Cleopatra

Florence Nightingale

Neil Armstrong

Rolls-Royce

World Cup

Wimbledon

Father's Day

Robert F. Scott

Charles Dickens

UK Election 2010

Churchill

New York

Stamps

Spring

Shakespeare Day

Hitchcock

St. Georges Day

Alice in Wonderland

International Womens Day

Mothers Day

Royal Wedding

Alessandro Botticelli

Florence Nightingale

Edward VII

Sherlock Holmes

Chinese New Year

Valentine's

Thomas Edison

Gladstone

Remembrance Day

Christmas

Guy Fawkes

Billy the Kid

Thanksgiving

Darwin

Moulin Rouge

Police

WWII

Back to School

Teddy Kennedy

Brunel

Moon

Prince Charles

Hong Kong

Westminster