WHAT?  Francesca Woodman and Julia Margaret Cameron: Portraits to Dream In 

WHERE?  National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London WC2H OHE 

WHEN?  Now until 16th June 

WHY GO?   For an air of mystery.  Shown side by side and linked by the fact both were women who explored the realms of dreamy black-and-white portraiture, this avant-garde exhibition pairs photographers Woodman and Cameron though they worked a century apart. 

Mysterious, yes?  Especially since both women were progressive power-houses in their own right and seemingly deserving of solitary shows, but hey, exhibitions nowadays always have to deliver something different.  And this does. 

It takes time to navigate but once unravelled, there are some wonderful rare vintage prints that will stay embedded in your psyche long after you leave the gallery.

Cameron was a self taught Victorian pioneer who came to photography later in life.  Her enchanting cherubic children cum angels are amongst her most memorable famous works. 

American Woodman, born in 1958, was a needy creative from an artistic family who had the shortest of careers, committing suicide at 22 before reaching her full potential.  Woodman’s name is associated with dreamy self portraits and ghostly figures posed provocatively with models mostly sourced from her retinue of young student friends.  One thing’s for sure, neither perfected precision.  

Both were preoccupied with ethereal images and leave a legacy that borders on fantasy, endorsing the show’s title Portraits to Dream In. 

IN THE KNOW  Respect to these women of fortitude.  The glorious Gallery gift shop is crammed with momentos.  Delve into the catalogue which tells all about the life of both photographers; buy a T-shirt, tote bag or pocket mirror featuring one of Cameron’s favourite aristo models, the stunning Pre-Raphaelite Julia Prinsep Stephen, mother of Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf.