Hilda Matheson
- Artist: Howard Coster
- Date: 1920
- Medium: bromide print
- Dimensions: 8 1/4 in. x 6 1/8 in. (209 mm x 157 mm)
- Portrays: Hilda Matheson
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is “Hilda Matheson,” a small bromide print by photographer Howard Coster. The paper shows her face turned slightly toward the viewer, framed in a plain suit and a subtle smile that hints at her lively personality. Notice the fine grain of the image – a hallmark of early 1920s portrait work – and how the light falls evenly across her features, giving depth without sharp contrast.
Hilda Matheson lived from 1888 to 1940. During World War I she served with MI5 before becoming political secretary for Nancy Astor, one of Britain’s first female MPs. In 1926 Coster was hired by the BBC, where Hilda led the radio talks team, inviting figures like H.G. Wells and Vita Sackville‑West to broadcast. Her tenure shaped early BBC radio before she stepped down in 1931.
The print captures this remarkable woman at a turning point – both visually striking and historically significant.
See it in person
Hilda Matheson 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.
