National Gallery

Welcome to the National Gallery, an architectural and cultural titan that has presided over the northern edge of Trafalgar Square since its current building opened in 1838. As you stand before this grand neo-classical facade, you…

We begin our scholarly journey in the Sainsbury Wing, a postmodern addition opened in 1991 that seamlessly integrates the Gallery's oldest treasures with contemporary architecture. Here, we encounter the 'Arnolfini Portrait,'…

Moving into the heart of the main building, we enter the hallowed territory of the Italian Renaissance, an era defined by a 'playful optimism' and a profound rediscovery of classical antiquity. Here, we find Sandro Botticelli’s…

Few paintings in the collection capture the intellectual and political tension of the sixteenth century as vividly as Hans Holbein the Younger’s 'The Ambassadors.' Painted in 1533, this monumental work depicts Jean de Dinteville,…

We now transition into the seventeenth century, the era of the Baroque, where art became a theatre of high drama, intense emotion, and stark contrasts of light and shadow. At the center of this revolution was Caravaggio, the…

We arrive now at the British rooms, which house works that have become deeply embedded in the national DNA. John Constable’s 'The Hay Wain,' painted in 1821, is perhaps the most beloved image of the English countryside. …

Our final section brings us into the late nineteenth century, where artists began to break away from the realistic depiction of light to explore the expressive power of color and form. Georges Seurat’s 'Bathers at Asnières' is a…

As we conclude our tour, I invite you to step out onto the balcony of the National Gallery, where you can gaze down upon Trafalgar Square. From this vantage point, you can see the entire history of London laid out before you. …