10 things you might not know about the National Gallery, London
Discover some of the National Gallery's unexpected stories
The Raising of Lazarus (about 1517-19) by Sebastiano del PiomboThe National Gallery, London
1. The collection started with only 38 paintings
Unlike similar museums in Europe, the National Gallery was not formed by nationalising an existing royal art collection. It all began when the British government bought 38 paintings from the art collection of the London financier John Julius Angerstein in 1824.
Detail taken from a lithograph showing The National Gallery at 100 Pall Mall (probably before 1838) by Charles Joseph HullmandelThe National Gallery, London
2. It hasn't always been located in Trafalgar Square
Situated in the heart of London, the National Gallery overlooks the famous Trafalgar Square. However, its first home was actually a few hundred yards away at 100 Pall Mall. When the Gallery first opened to the public in 1824, fewer than ten staff worked in the building.
King's Mews, Charing Cross (December 1, 1808) by Auguste Charles Pugin|Rudolph Ackermann, London|Thomas Rowlandson|Joseph Constantine StadlerThe Metropolitan Museum of Art
3. Trafalgar Square hasn't just been home to the Gallery
Before the new National Gallery building was constructed in the 1830s, the same site had previously housed some rather interesting residents. For around 100 years, the King's mews (stables) had occupied the site and for a short period of time even a menagerie (a zoo).
Trafalgar Square, Westminster, Greater London (1950-06-13) by Aerofilms LtdHistoric England
4. It’s not all paintings
The National Gallery building was designed by architect William Wilkins in the 1830s. His designs were inspired by the Neoclassical style of ancient Greek architecture. Fun fact: some of the marble sculptures on the exterior of the building were initially made for Marble Arch.
Sunflowers (1888) by Vincent van GoghThe National Gallery, London
5. It's home to one of Van Gogh’s famous 'Sunflowers'
The National Gallery has been home to one of Van Gogh's iconic paintings of 'Sunflowers' since 1924, but did you know that Van Gogh actually visited the National Gallery during his lifetime?
Great Western Railways (GWR) container arriving at Manod quarry, Wales, during WWII (1941)The National Gallery, London
6. The collection was moved underground during the war
To keep the nation's paintings safe during the Second World War, the collection was evacuated out of London for safekeeping. Later, the paintings were taken to a secure location in a Welsh slate mine. The conditions were perfect, and the artworks stayed there from 1941 until the end of the war.
Head of the National Gallery Scientific department, Marika Spring, using the scanning electron microscope to analyse paint samples. (2010)The National Gallery, London
7. The Gallery has a world-leading Scientific Department
Our Scientific Department has existed since 1934, when physicist Ian Rawlins was appointed as the Gallery's first Scientific Adviser. Today, scientists at the Gallery use imaging techniques to examine paintings which were first developed by NASA to study the surface of planets.
The Duke of Wellington (1812-14) by Francisco de GoyaThe National Gallery, London
8. There once was a guard dog called Rex
Following the theft of Goya’s portrait 'The Duke of Wellington' in 1961, a guard dog patrol was introduced at the Gallery 'at least for an experimental period.' This patrol continued at the Gallery for almost a decade.
The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Scenes of the Nativity and the Lives of the Saints (probably about 1263-4) by Margarito d'ArezzoThe National Gallery, London
9. The collection spans over seven centuries
The National Gallery's collection spans from the 13th century to the work of the French Impressionists. This painting, by Margarito d'Arezzo, is one of the earliest paintings in the collection. It was made probably about 1263-4 – making it over 700 years old!
The National Gallery, London (2024)The National Gallery, London
10. The Gallery is over 200 years old!
On 10 May 2024 the National Gallery entered its bicentenary year – celebrating 200 years of bringing people and paintings together.
