The story of European art
This vast palace of art on Trafalgar Square displays the grand tradition of European painting in all its glory. One of the world’s great national collections, it was founded in 1824 under the auspices of the House of Commons, with the belief in art’s edifying virtues for all classes of society. The focus of national pride for centuries, this museum is home to many of England’s important collections. There is no shortage of masterpieces among the 2,300 works on display, which span from the 13th century to the early 20th century. The gallery has also been extended several times to house the growing collection and even birthed the National Gallery, Millbank in 1917, which is today known as Tate Britain. Some of the most famous works in the collection include Van Eyck’s “The Arnolfini Portrait” (1434), Velázquez’s “The Rokeby Venus” (1647-51), Turner’s “The Fighting Temeraire” (1839) and Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” (1888). The National Gallery celebrated its bicentenary in 2024 by hosting major exhibitions, including its first on Van Gogh.
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