This year marks the 200th anniversary of London’s National Gallery. From humble beginnings it has grown into a cultural icon of the United Kingdom, housing some 2,400 works and now attracting several million visitors a year.
The concept of a National Gallery was born after the death of John Julius Angerstein, a banker and marine insurance broker who founded the insurance company Lloyd’s of London and amassed a splendid art collection from across Europe. When he died in 1823, his heirs decided to sell his collection. In April 1824 the House of Commons agreed to pay £57,000 (about $75,000) for his 38 paintings, which would form the heart of Britain’s new national art collection.
On May 10 of that year, the public—the great, the good and the grittier types from the streets of King George IV’s London—was invited into Angerstein’s house at 100 Pall Mall, an elegant domestic setting, to review the works firsthand, but the press reaction was underwhelming, and crowds did not stream in. However, the astounding quality of the works acquired for the nation—a purchasing tradition that the gallery continues to this day—was clear. Parliament agreed to construct a building for the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square, the site of the current venue at the very center of London. Seven years later the gallery opened, in 1838.
To kick off its 200th anniversary celebrations, titled NG200, the museum hosted an impressive light show on the facade of its building and toured many of its invaluable works, deemed “national treasures,” around the United Kingdom. It is now preparing a redisplay of the collection, including all the touring treasures, opening in May 2025.
In the spirit of celebration, we offer our own tour: a look at 20 highlights of the National Gallery collection.