Alan Turing
- Artist: Elliott & Fry
- Date: 1951
- Medium: vintage bromide print on photographer's mount
- Dimensions: 6 3/8 x 4 5/8 in. (162 mm x 117 mm)
- Portrays: Alan Mathison Turing
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is a portrait of Alan Turing, taken in 1951 by Elliott & Fry on a vintage bromide print mounted on paper. The image sits in a small frame, roughly six inches long and four and a half wide; his face is centered, eyes slightly turned toward the camera, with gentle shading that adds realism.
The photo was given to us by Turing’s mother, Ethel Sara, in 1956, making it a personal family snapshot. By then, Turing had cracked Enigma at Bletchley Park and would soon receive an OBE for his war work. He also laid early foundations of digital computing and AI before his untimely death at age 41.
See it in person
Alan Turing is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
