Amy Johnson
- Artist: Sir John Longstaff
- Date: 1930
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 27 1/4 in. x 22 1/2 in. (692 mm x 572 mm)
- Portrays: Amy Johnson (later Mollison)
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This portrait by Sir John Longstaff, oil on canvas from 1930, shows Amy Johnson sitting confidently in a sleek coat and fur collar that frames her face. Notice the polished eyes, almost as if he captured the spark of ambition that propelled her into the sky. She was not only the first British woman to fly solo from London to Australia; she also earned an aircraft ground‑engineer licence – an uncommon badge for women at the time. Longstaff’s brushwork highlights the lines of her outfit, hinting at 1920s modernity while keeping portrait tradition alive. After graduating in economics and working as a secretary, Johnson turned flying into a hobby that became her profession. Her record‑breaking flights to Tokyo and Cape Town preceded her wartime service with the Air Transport Auxiliary, and she met her end after parachuting from a plane over the Thames.
See it in person
Amy Johnson 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.
