One of the most iconic art museums in London, is celebrating its bicentennial anniversary. Over the past two centuries, The National Gallery has housed a world renowned collection of Western European paintings, with currently over 2,300 works on display. Although the Gallery has become a quintessential part of London’s art scene, many might not know its beginnings. Here is a breakdown of The National Gallery’s history.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00One of the most iconic art museums in London is celebrating its bicentennial anniversary.
00:08Over the past two centuries, the National Gallery has housed a world-renowned collection
00:12of Western European paintings, with currently over 2,300 works on display.
00:20Although the Gallery has become a quintessential part of London's art scene, many might not
00:24know its beginnings.
00:26Here is a breakdown of the National Gallery's history.
00:32The Gallery was founded in 1824 and was originally located in a banker's townhouse.
00:41John Julius Angerstein was a London businessman and a patron of the fine arts, who gave the
00:46Gallery its first 38 paintings.
00:49Until a building could be constructed, the paintings were displayed in Angerstein's
00:53home to be enjoyed by everyone.
00:57The paintings finally got a new and permanent home in 1831, when Parliament agreed to construct
01:03a building in Trafalgar Square.
01:07As the Gallery's collection continued to grow thanks to the contribution of numerous
01:10collectors and benefactors, new wings and galleries were constructed to expand the building.
01:18The Sainsbury Wing, which was built in 1985, is currently being refurbished and will reopen
01:23in spring next year, marking the end of the Gallery's bicentennial year celebrations.
01:31The Gallery's central location, along with its ongoing commitment to free admission,
01:36has allowed Londoners from all backgrounds, both past and present, to explore and enjoy
01:41the fine arts.