The National Gallery, London

The National Gallery Collection contains over 2,300 works, including many famous works, such as van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus, Turner’s Fighting Temeraire and Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.

All major traditions of Western European painting are represented from the artists of late medieval and Renaissance Italy to the French Impressionists.

13th- to 15th-century paintings

Duccio, Uccello, van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli, Dürer, Memling, Bellini

Most surviving late medieval pictures are religious, made for altars in churches or for private devotion. Many have exquisitely decorated gold-leaf backgrounds.

In the 15th century, portraits and scenes from ancient history and mythology increased in importance. Realism also affected the treatment of sacred subjects.

Figures were often placed in convincing architectural and landscape settings. Technical advances, such as oil paint, allowed greater subtlety in depicting facial expression and surface textures.

16th-century paintings

Leonardo, Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Holbein, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titian, Veronese

The leading artists of this period achieved a fame that has never diminished. Especially in Italy, Renaissance painters sought to rival and surpass the artists of ancient Greece and Rome.

Portraitists were highly prized and pictures of ancient history and mythology became almost as important as Christian subjects. Paintings were appreciated for their artistry as much as for their subject matter, and often placed in specially created galleries.

17th-century paintings

Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van Dyck, Velázquez, Claude, Rembrandt, Cuyp, Vermeer

While some artists of this period looked to the art of the past for inspiration, they always imparted their own style, from the flamboyant to the austere. Religious subjects were treated in novel ways to engage the emotions of the viewer.

In the Netherlands, specialist painters of still lifes, landscapes and scenes of everyday life – from elegant social gatherings to lively scenes in taverns – enjoyed great popularity.

18th- to early 20th-century paintings

Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Ingres, Degas, Cézanne, Monet, Van Gogh

Although the production of grand paintings for churches and palaces continued, it became more common for artists to paint smaller works that were exhibited and sold through art dealers and public exhibitions.

In the 19th century, art movements (loose associations of artists working in a similar style) emerged, as did the idea of the independent artist who rebelled against the official art establishment.

Opening information

Open daily from 10am - 6pm, fridays 10am - 9pm

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Temporary exhibitions

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  Turner Inspired: In the Light of Claude

  Turner Inspired: In the Light of Claude is the most in-depth examination of Turner's experience of Claude's art to date.

  The National Gallery, London

  Turner Inspired: In the Light of Claude14th March 2012 - 5th June 2012 (Add to calendar)

  19th century, Painting, 17th century, 18th century
• 

  Metamorphosis: Titian 2012

  Metamorphosis: Titian 2012 brings together a group of specially comissioned works as part of the Cultural Olympiad's London 2012 Festival.

  The National Gallery, London

  Metamorphosis: Titian 201211th July 2012 - 23rd September 2012 (Add to calendar)

  16th century, Painting

Top exhibits

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  Family of Darius before Alexander the Great

  Family of Darius before Alexander the Great, 1565-1570, was painted by Paolo Veronese and is held in the National Gallery, London, UK.

  16th century, Painting

  Paolo Caliari Veronese
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  Cartoon for Virgin and Child with St Anne

  Cartoon for Virgin and Child with St Anne 1499 -1500, was a drawing created by Leonardo da Vinci and is held in the National Gallery in London, UK.

  15th century, Drawing

  Leonardo da Vinci
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  Seaport, with the Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba

  Seaport, with the Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba, 1648 was painted by Claude Lorraine and held in the National Gallery, London, UK.

  Painting, 17th century

  Claude Lorraine
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  The Stonemason's Yard

  The Stonemason's Yard, 1726 - 1730, was painted by Antonio Canaletto and is held in the National Gallery, London, UK.

  Painting, 18th century

  Antonio Canaletto
• 

  Doge Leonardo Loredan

  Doge Leonardo Loredan, 1501-1504 was painted by Giovanni Bellini and is held in the National Gallery, London, UK.

  16th century, Painting

  Giovanni Bellini

Related pages

• 

  Leonardo da Vinci

  Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) was a leading Italian artist from the Renaissance period.

  16th century
• 

  Diego Velasquez

  Diego Velasquez 1599 - 1660, was a leading 17th century Spanish court painter.

  Painting, 17th century
• 

  Raphael

  Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio), 1483 - 1520 was a leading Florentine painter.

  16th century, Painting
• 

  Harmensz van Rijn Rembrandt

  Hermensz van Rijn Rembrandt, 1606 - 1669 was a leading 17th century Dutch painter.

  Painting, 17th century
• 

  Titian

  Titian (Tiziano Vecellio), 1487 - 1576 was a leading 16th century Italian artist.

  16th century, Painting
• 

  Albrecht Durer

  Albrecht Durer, 1471 - 1528, was a leading 16th century German painter.

  16th century, Painting
• 

  Sandro Botticelli

  Sandro Botticelli, 1445 - 1510, was a leading 15th century Italian painter.

  15th century, Painting
• 

  Antonio Canaletto

  Antonio Canaletto, 1697 - 1768, was and 18th century Italian painter.

  Painting, 18th century
• 

  Claude Monet

  Claude Monet, 1840 - 1926 was a leading French Impressionist painter.

  Painting, Impressionism
• 

  Jan van Eyck

  Jan van Eyck, 1390 - 1441, was a leading artist of the early Netherlands school.

  15th century, Painting
• 

  Hans Holbein (the Younger)

  Hans Holbein the Younger, 1497 - 1543, was an official court painter to Henry VIII in England.

  16th century, Painting
• 

  Johannes Vermeer

  Johannes Vermeer, 1632 - 1675 was one of the greatest 17th century Dutch artists.

  Painting, 17th century
• 

  Francisco Goya

  Francisco Goya, 1746 - 1828, was an important 18th century Spanish painter.

  19th century, Painting
• 

  Vincent Van Gogh

  Vincent Van Gogh, 1853 - 1890, was a leading post - impressionist artist.

  19th century, Painting
• 

  Edgar Degas

  Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917) was a French painter. He is known as a founding father of impressionism but preferred to be known as a realist.

  19th century, Sculpture, Painting, Impressionism, Realism, Drawing
• 

  Duccio di Buoninsegna

  Duccio di Buoninsegna (1255 - 1318) was one of the most influential Italian artists of his time.

  Painting, 13th century
• 

  Joseph Mallord William Turner

  JMW Turner (1775 - 1851) is recognised as one of the finest landscape painters in english history.

  19th century
• 

  Sir Peter Paul Rubens

  Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a prolific 17th century Flemish baroque painter.

  Painting, Baroque, 17th century
• 

  Michelangelo Buonarroti

  Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 – 1564), commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter.

  16th century, Sculpture, Painting, Drawing
• 

  Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

  Michelangelo Merisi (1571 - 1610), known as Caravaggio, was a leading Italian painter known to have a volatile character.

  16th century, Painting
• 

  Lucas Cranach

  Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1472 - 1553, was a leading 16th century German painter.

  16th century, Painting
• 

  Claude Lorraine

  Claude Lorraine, 1600 - 1682 was a 17th century French painter who moved to Rome and became famous for producing great classical landscapes.

  Painting, 17th century
• 

  Paul Cezanne

  Paul Cezanne, 1839 - 1906 was a well known French painter who took part in the First Impressionist Exhibition of 1874.

  19th century, Painting
• 

  Nicolas Poussin

  Nicolas Poussin, 1593 - 1665 was a well known 17th century French Classicist painter.

  Painting, 17th century
• 

  Paolo Caliari Veronese

  Paolo Caliari Veronese, 1528 - 1588 was a leading 16th century Italian painter.

  16th century, Painting

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