Portrait of Dame Lynne Brindley Unveiled in Hall

The official college portrait of former Pembroke Master, Dame Lynne Brindley, has now been unveiled and is on display in the college Dining Hall.

Dame Lynne began her tenure as Master of Pembroke in 2013, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She served a seven-year term, retiring in the summer of 2020. Painted by artist Hero Johnson, the portrait was revealed shortly before the beginning of Michaelmas Term.

Hero discussed the creative process for developing the portrait, saying: “I was honoured to be chosen as the artist for this portrait of Dame Lynne Brindley, the first female Master to be hung on this wall. We had a number of meetings to get to know one another and to try out different locations, poses and outfits and were in agreement from the start that the painting should have an open and informal feel, that acknowledged the tradition and importance of the role of Master whilst avoiding any 'pomp or stuffiness'. The final execution of the piece was disrupted by the Coronavirus situation and it was completed during lockdown.”

Reflecting on the unveiling of the portrait, Dame Lynne commented: “Having a portrait painted was a great privilege and a completely new experience for me. However, it was a wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable process working with Hero, who took on board my wish that the portrait should capture a balance of approachability, inclusiveness and informal style and give added confidence to our women students.

I was very fortunate to be able to come back to the College and see the portrait privately before it was mounted in Hall, which allowed me to admire in much greater depth the extraordinary detail and vibrancy of colour that Hero has achieved. It was of great importance to me, as the first female Master of Pembroke, that the artist commissioned for my portrait was a woman, and I hope that the result is enjoyed by future generations of Pembrokians.”