The National Gallery, London houses one of the greatest collections of Western European painting in the world. These pictures belong to the public and entrance to see them is free.
William Wilkins’s National Gallery opened in 1838 and spans the entire north side of Trafalgar Square. It is classical in style, symmetrical in design and has at its centre a portico supported by Corinthian columns.
The Portico steps at the main entrance offer unrivalled views of Trafalgar Square.
As the collection grew E. M. Barry was invited to add a series of opulent galleries to enlarge the building in the 1870s. Barry’s exhibition rooms, which lie behind the east half of the original building, are an impressive display of Victorian High decoration. Every room has its own colour scheme.
The original Wilkins rooms were faithfully restored in 1988 to their true Victorian splendour and polished wooden floors and heavy leather couches all evoke the richness of that period.
Read more about The National Gallery here.
