The National Gallery in London: masterpieces and activities for all

When you have at least a little free time, we can advise you on how to spend it in the capital of the UK. You will get a lot of vivid impressions when you will see the richest collection of works of art in the National Gallery. Undoubtedly, the meeting with the beautiful will be very informative and will enrich your inner world. From our article you will learn when the Gallery was created, what masterpieces it possesses and what you can learn in it.

The Gallery is located in the city centre in Trafalgar Square and it is impossible to miss such an impressive building. It is one of the leading fine art museums in the world and houses a collection of Western European paintings from the 13th to the early 20th centuries. You will be able to observe how artistic thinking evolved, the profound and wonderfully diverse work of different masters.

Establishment of the National Gallery

Its history began in 1824 with 38 paintings from the personal collection of banker John Julius Angerstein. They were bought by the British government after the owner’s death and were first exhibited in his own townhouse on Pall Mall, which was rented by the state. Sir George Beaumont also promised to donate his collection of paintings to the country and in 1831 construction began on a new building which opened in 1838. It was very important that it should be conveniently located and easily accessible to all citizens. There are now over 2,600 canvases in the Gallery and the collection continues to grow.

What works of art can be seen in the Gallery

Of such a huge number of beautiful paintings, we will only have time to tell you about a few particularly memorable ones.

For example, the famous “Madonna in the Rocks” by Leonardo da Vinci has a predecessor of the same name in the Louvre. The artist created them ten years apart, and they are not copies, noticeable differences can be seen. However, their main unifying point is the peculiarity of the composition, which reveals features of the future High Renaissance in art. This is manifested in the geometric arrangement of the figures, which resembles a pyramid, thus creating the illusion of three-dimensional space. At the same time, there are characters who look at each other and interact through gestures, which was also not present on the canvases during the Early Renaissance.

Leonardo da Vinci’s charcoal and chalk painting of the Virgin Mary with Child, St Anne and John the Baptist captures the artist’s search for the right composition. It was later embodied in a masterpiece now in the Louvre. It is noteworthy that this is the only large-scale drawing by Leonardo that has survived to this day.

Rembrandt’s collection of paintings, including self-portraits, introduces us to the artist himself as well as to his loved ones: his wife, his second common-law wife. There are also expressive private portraits and other particularly memorable works, such as The Feast of Balthasar.

Masterpieces by the extraordinary Raphael, such as the Madonna in Rose Colours, await you in the Gallery. Although this legendary artist died at the age of 37, he left more works than Leonardo da Vinci and is considered to have been more versatile than Michelangelo.

Don’t forget to see Botticelli’s sublime, refined creations, including the famous “Venus and Mars”. This painting conceals a deep philosophical and artistic meaning, symbolism of the characters’ images. The splendour of the graceful goddess of love and beauty Venus next to the quietly sleeping god of war Mars, attracts the attention of the viewers. One can long admire the spiritualisedface of the protagonist, the fluidity of the lines of her clothes and at the same time realise the artist’s idea of the contrast of the two worlds and their possible union.

The great fame of Jan van Eyck’s painting “Portrait of Arnolfini” is due to its intriguing subject, because there is still no unified version of the exact situation in which the merchant and his wife are depicted. Perhaps we see the marriage ceremony and in the reflection of the mirror of its two witnesses, or it is a memorable event and mourning of the husband about the loss of his wife. Art historians have thoroughly investigated the symbolism of the various objects on the canvas, the complex composition and the peculiarities of perspective. It is obvious that this creation of the artist will always be of interest to the public.

In the double portrait The Ambassadors, Holbein skilfully depicted a still life with many objects. Note that the meaning of each of them is connected with a certain theme and gives rise to active discussions. Also an iconic moment in the painting is the image of a skull, manifested from a certain elongated shape at the bottom of the painting. It becomes visible at a certain angle and has a philosophical meaning, as does the image of the crucifixion, which for many people remains invisible.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to see the most famous work of the great Spanish painter Diego Velázquez, the Venus of Rokeby, which is considered one of the most magnificent examples of Baroque and Baroque painting in general. The goddess is depicted lying down and a flowing silk cloth barely covers her naked body. The painting has incredible elegance and grace, and embodies the ideal of female beauty. This image is also quite remarkable for the artistic tradition, as the artist presented Venus in a mirror, which added depth and complexity to the portrait. The sensuality, subtle atmosphere and harmony make this painting one of the timeless masterpieces.

Of course, the painting “Samson and Dalila” by Rubens with its stunning composition also attracts attention. We see a dramatic and sharp plot, the theme of the eternal struggle of good and evil, strength and weakness. The symbol of betrayal and lust for power is Dalila tearing off Samson’s hair, while he, stripped of his power, becomes vulnerable and enslaved.

Many viewers remember Caravaggio’s painting “The Boy Bitten by a Lizard” as one of the most penetrating works of art, conveying deep emotions. The canvas embodies and recognisable style of the artist with the use of strong contrast of light and shadow, realistic transfer of details.

The paintings of the Romantic painter William Turner, one of the most beloved of the English, are represented by such works as “Didon Building Carthage”, “The Fighting Temeraire” and other works. Of enduring interest are the halls containing magnificent paintings by Titian, Michelangelo, Van Dyck and Vermeer.

The inimitable airiness of paintings by Monet, the founder of Impressionism, appears, for example, in “Lilies, the setting sun”, “Saint-Lazare Station” and in other of his works.

The work of the popular post-impressionist painter Van Gogh is reflected in his famous paintings “Wheat Field with Cypresses”, “Sunflowers” and other canvases. The Gallery exhibits one work from the series dedicated to these sunny flowers. A total of seven paintings were created, but now in different museums we can see only five of them. The sixth version was lost during the war, while the seventh is kept in a private collection. Sunflowers became a favouritein the master’s work, although to many of his colleagues they seemed rough and not expressive. As a result, these flowers became associated with the name of the painter, as he wished.

You can also admire the works of the famous Impressionists and Post-Impressionists – Seurat, Renoir, Pissarro, Manet, Degas, Cézanne, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec and others.

In addition, the Gallery regularly organises a variety of exhibitions that draw closer attention to their heroes and help to learn more about them.

The Gallery successfully embodied the concept of the overall development of the space, which has become multifunctional and interesting. Here you can participate in various educational programmes, find pleasant places to relax in a nice restaurant, café or espresso bar. You can also visit 2 shops with fascinating books, useful souvenirs for children and adults.

Educational programmes

The educational mission of the Gallery is of great importance, including the most diverse forms of education. They are competently designed for all ages and levels of training, not forgetting people with disabilities. It is especially convenient that they can be attended both in the Gallery itself and online. Thanks to lectures and seminars, masterclasses and various events, one can easily start to understand art and discover one’s own creative abilities. In addition, secondary school teachers and trainee teachers can also attend specialisedtraining, which is also popular.

The National Gallery is thus a unique place because of its special atmosphere and the importance it has in people’s lives. May you too have the opportunity to discover this wonderful source of information and inspiration!