National Gallery

Art museum with paintings from the 13th - 19th centuries

The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is one of the most extensive painting galleries in the world. Important works of European painting between the 13th and the 19th century can be found in the art museum.

Extensive collection

In 1824, the English government purchased 38 paintings from Russian merchant John Julius Angerstein for 57,000 pounds. Initially, the works were exhibited in Angerstein's home at 100 Pall Mall to make them accessible to the general public. Finally, in 1838, a separate building was completed in Trafalgar Square. Among other things, this was done under pressure from the public, because the press was already making fun of the exhibition in a residential building and compared Angerstein's house with the Louvre in Paris. As early as 1876, an enlargement of the building was necessary, which included the addition of a dome. Scoffers then referred to the gallery as a "national spice rack" because of its appearance. In the first years, mainly paintings by Italian artists from the 15th and 16th centuries were exhibited. Over time, the collection was constantly expanded. Each of the directors added his own touch to the collection. For example, the third director of the museum, Frederic Burton, bought mainly paintings from private collections. In 1991, the eponymous owners of the Sainsbury supermarket chain donated the Sainsbury Wing, where Renaissance paintings are exhibited.

The National Gallery is divided into different wings, in which paintings of different epochs are presented:

National Gallery at a glance

Wing	Period	among others works by
Sainsbury grand piano	1260 to 1510	Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Raphael
West wing	1510 till 1600	Holbein, Cranach, Titian, El Greco
North wing	1600 to 1700	Vermeer, Rembrandt, Caravaggio
East wing	1700 till 1900	Monet, Renoir, van Gogh

Paintings worth seeing

Among the works in the museum are some world famous pieces such as the "Rock Grotto Madonna" by Leonardo da Vinci or "Venus and Mars" by Sandro Botticelli to name a few.

On Friday evenings the gallery is open longer. Until 9 p.m., visitors have the opportunity to attend lectures or guided tours. Often on these dates there are special events with live music or discussions.