The National Gallery
LONDON, ENGLAND
Centrally located in London’s Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is a must-see for anyone interested in exploring one of the world’s preeminent collections of Western European painting. Founded in 1824 by the House of Commons, the 38 pictures that formed the heart of the collection cost a little more than $80,000. Originally displayed in the house of banker John Angerstein (whose works accounted for the origins of the collection), the museum’s rapidly expanding collection forced a move to its current location in 1831, making it equally accessible to all classes of people. From its beginning, art students have been welcomed to the museum, to study and sketch the paintings and sculptures on display. Even today you may find students, young and old, with sketchpads, pencils, and pastels, ensconced in front of Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers (page 22) or Leonardo da Vinci’s Madonna of the Rocks, attempting to replicate the old masters’ styles and techniques. Wandering through the vast galleries, you can expect to see other famous works by legendary artists JMW Turner, Raphael, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens, and Hans Holbein.
Designed in the Greek Revival style, the façade of London’s National Gallery remains essentially unchanged since its construction in 1832.
During World War II, the collection of the National Gallery went literally underground. The British government, anticipating attacks on several key buildings in London, including the National Gallery, evacuated the collection to various secure locations including a Welsh slate mine where 200 feet of solid rock protected these valuable works for future generations to enjoy. —SBR