National Gallery

The National Gallery stands on the north side of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster. Its present building was designed by William Wilkins and opened in 1838. The façade onto Trafalgar Square remains largely unchanged since then. The Sainsbury Wing, added in 1991 by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, extends the gallery to the west. More than 2,300 paintings fill its rooms, ranging from the mid-13th century to 1900. Gabriele Finaldi has led the gallery as director since taking over from Nicholas Penny in 2015. The gallery began in 1824 when the government bought 38 paintings from John Julius Angerstein’s heirs. Early directors such as Charles Lock Eastlake shaped the collection through careful purchases and private donations. Two-thirds of the holdings now come from gifts, including the Reverend William Holwell Carr’s bequest of 35 works. The collection covers major developments in Western painting from Giotto to Cézanne with important works in every period. Unlike many European galleries, it was never formed from a royal or princely collection. Inside, visitors find rooms arranged chronologically and by school. Italian paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries form the core of the display. The Sainsbury Wing focuses on early Renaissance works, while later rooms show Dutch, Flemish, French and British schools. Natural light from tall windows illuminates the canvases. Outside, Trafalgar Square links the gallery to Nelson’s Column and the surrounding streets. The building’s position between the West End and the East End reflects its founding aim: art for all social classes.