The National Gallery holds around 2,300 paintings covering Western European art from the 13th to the 20th century. It is on Trafalgar Square, it is free, and it contains some of the most reproduced images in human history: Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus, Turner’s Fighting Temeraire.
How the Collection Is Arranged
The collection is arranged chronologically across four wings. The Sainsbury Wing houses the earliest works (1250–1500) including Botticelli and Piero della Francesca. The West Wing covers 1500–1600, the North Wing 1600–1700 (Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens), and the East Wing takes you to 1700–1900.
The Trafalgar Square Setting
The gallery’s position on Trafalgar Square gives it an unbeatable civic context. The square itself — with Nelson’s Column, the fountains, and the Fourth Plinth — is one of the great public spaces in the world. Combine a gallery visit with a walk to other nearby cultural institutions via the Strand or Whitehall.
Leave a Reply