National Gallery

There's only one week left to come and see 'The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Monet & Architecture'! Worried you've missed out on coming to see the show? Members tickets are still available. Join today and enjoy free entry to 'Monet & Architecture' and all of our world-class exhibitions from just £58 a year: http://bit.ly/2MIGNQY

Find your way to the mouth of the river Toques on this bright, sunny day. The two jetties either side form the entrance to the harbour at Trouville in France. Eugène Boudin worked directly from nature. He had a deep affection for the sea and almost all his paintings take their subject from the harbours and coastline of the Channel Coast: http://bit.ly/2ufnjMj

The red poppy, tulip, carnation and roses are brightly lit, with a sense of depth created by Osaias Beert the Elder in the shadows. Fallen petals and conspicuous insect damage in the leaves suggest the fleeting beauty of such arrangements and, by extension, human mortality. The plain stone shelves in this painting and its companion piece are typical of the early 17th century, as is the porcelain Wan-Li vase, a luxury item that would have been imported to the Netherlands from China by the Dutch East India Company. Admire the flowers and the exquisite porcelain in Room 17a: http://bit.ly/2KQJLpj

Come to the dunes and cool down in the stream. Philips Wouwerman became a member of the Haarlem painters' guild in 1640 and was influenced by the landscapes of Jan Wijnants and by the scenes of Italian peasant life of Pieter van Laer. When this painting was cleaned in 1953, it was discovered that a fisherman seated in the left foreground was a later addition, and he was removed: http://bit.ly/2uafJCp

Saint George's gallant horse rears on its hind legs as the lance is plunged into the bloodied dragon. Gustave Moreau's painting gives us a more abstract and ornamental rendering of the legendary subject. The haloed figure of the saint recalls works of the early Renaissance that Moreau would have seen in Italy, notably those of Carpaccio and Crivelli. The figure of the princess with her hands folded in prayer in the right background, and the visionary Gothic castle in the distance, have been compared to those seen in eastern miniatures. Witness the popular myth and legend in Gallery A: http://bit.ly/2JjM52v

As part of our first update on the conservation of Artemisia Gentileschi's 'Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria', Larry Keith, our Head of Conservation and Keeper, explains the steps we take to restore our paintings. Follow #NGArtemisia on our social channels to make sure you don’t miss our updates on the conservation of this rare self-portrait. This conservation treatment was made possible with Art Fund support.

A soft, Grecian style portrait of Ellen Julia Teed gazes beyond us. She was an author and philanthropist, and held a salon in Paris which attracted the leading Liberals of the day. She also presented Boucher's 'Pan and Syrinx' to the Gallery in 1880. Visit this stunning portrait, painted by Ary Scheffer in Room 45: http://bit.ly/2ulAAmo

Due to popular demand, extra tickets have been released for the final weekends of 'The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Monet & Architecture'! Tickets are selling fast so book online now and save. Members go free: http://bit.ly/2mlfWS5 In 1888 Monet returned to the Mediterranean, this time to the ancient town of Antibes, where he worked from mid-January until early May. His favourite view, which allowed him to create scintillating contrasts of blues, reds, greens and pinks, was from the Cap d’Antibes to the south. Although distant, Antibes is identifiable by the towers of the cathedral and the medieval castle of the Grimaldi family and the fortifications constructed in the 17th century by the great military architect Vauban.

Edgar Degas was born #OnThisDay in 1834. Degas specialised in scenes of contemporary life, including dancers, entertainers and women at their toilette. His mastery of technique was superb, and he experimented with various media including pastel. Did you know that 'Combing the Hair ('La Coiffure')' was once owned by Matisse? This bold and important work was one of Degas favourite subjects in his later years, and can be seen in Room 42: http://bit.ly/2KTDVTZ

A garish imperial city almost entirely obliterates the landscape in Thomas Cole's 'The Consummation of Empire'. Cole wanted Americans to question the pursuit of luxury in contemporary New York. The emperor, seen cloaked in red on a chariot pulled by an elephant, may allude to Andrew Jackson, whose presidency was criticised for his arbitrary exercise of power. Discover more about Thomas Cole's America and his landscapes in 'Thomas Cole: Eden to Empire'. Book online and save: http://bit.ly/2HKr8yn

Caravaggio died #OnThisDay in 1610. Arrogant, rebellious and a murderer, Caravaggio's short and tempestuous life matched the drama of his works. Characterised by their dramatic, almost theatrical lighting, Caravaggio's paintings were controversial, popular, and hugely influential. In this striking painting we see a young boy recoil in pain as his finger is bitten by a lizard, hidden among the fruit. A magnificent still life stands between him and us. The glass vase holds a rose and a sprig of jasmine, while red, succulent cherries lie beside the vase. It's unusual for a late 16th century painting to show a figure so realistically in a moment of action, and for a still life to be so prominent. Witness the drama unfold in Room 32: http://bit.ly/2JdqvMZ

'The Madonna of the Meadow' by Bellini shows Jesus sleeping in the Virgin's lap. Amidst the farmland to the left, a wading bird attacks a snake. This may be intended to symbolise the struggle of good and evil, with a looming vulture perched in the tree symbolic of death: http://bit.ly/2L5Cii1 In October, discover two artists who changed the course of Western European art. ‘Mantegna and Bellini’ tells a story of art, family, rivalry, and personality. This is the first-ever exhibition to explore the creative links between these artists, and to see in London rare loans of paintings and drawings from around the world. 'Mantegna and Bellini' opens at the Gallery 1 October: http://bit.ly/2CeM5xT

Due to popular demand, extra tickets have been released for the final weekends of 'The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Monet & Architecture'! Tickets are selling fast so book online now and save. Members go free: http://bit.ly/2mlfWS5 To paint this view of Dieppe during his second stint on the Normandy coast in 1882, Monet turned his back on the conventionally picturesque medieval castle that dominated the port and holiday resort. Instead, he looked westward to some recently constructed villas. By picking out their crisp, regimented structures and contrasting their brightly tiled orange roofs with the green grass, Monet used the buildings to stress the human imposition on nature.

Join Conservator Kristina Mandy and Associate Curator Francesca Whitlum-Cooper to hear the surprising discoveries made during the treatment of Guido Reni's 'The Toilet of Venus'. Learn more about the painting here: http://bit.ly/2uttuMW

Rediscover Reni's 'The Toilet of Venus'. Join us live on Facebook tomorrow morning at 9.15am (BST) to explore the surprising discoveries that were made during its conservation treatment with Conservator Kristina Mandy and Associate Curator Francesca Whitlum-Cooper: http://bit.ly/2tF4SQU

What does it take to conserve one of our paintings? Conservator Hayley Tomlinson takes you behind the scenes in Conservation to discuss the cleaning of Rosa Bonheur’s ‘The Horse Fair’, which is now back on display in Room 45: http://bit.ly/2uj0iYE

Sir Joshua Reynolds was born #OnThisDay in Plympton, Devon in 1732. Reynolds was the leading English portraitist of the 18th century, though he was never popular with George III. He was a key figure in the intellectual life of London, and a friend of Dr Johnson. When the Royal Academy of Arts was founded in 1768, Reynolds was elected its first President. Although believing that history painting was the noblest work of the painter, he had little opportunity to practise it, and his greatest works are his portraits. This distinguished figure is Colonel Banastre Tarleton and can be seen in Room 34: http://bit.ly/2L92t7J

Rembrandt was born #OnThisDay in 1606. Did you know that Rembrandt painted more self portraits than any other 17th century artist? He painted this self portrait at the height of his career aged 34, presenting himself in a self-assured pose wearing an elaborate costume in the fashion of the 16th century. It seems as if Rembrandt refers deliberately to his famous predecessors in this portrait, and thus places himself in the tradition of great 'Old Masters'. See the man, young and old, in Room 22: http://bit.ly/2I4sUdQ

Due to popular demand, extra tickets have been released for the final weekends of 'The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Monet & Architecture'! Tickets are selling fast so book online now and save. Members go free: http://bit.ly/2mlfWS5 From Paris to Rouen to Giverny and beyond, Monet painted many different areas of France throughout his life. Celebrate Bastille Day by visiting 'The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Monet & Architecture' and seeing first-hand some of the paintings he made of his country, together for the very first time.

Watch empires rise and fall, and lose yourself in the vast American wilderness, in the first UK exhibition dedicated to Thomas Cole. Book online and save, Members go free: http://bit.ly/2HKr8yn Thomas Cole's 'Sketch for ‘Dream of Arcadia’ imitates a preliminary oil sketch tacked to a wooden board. Although it pretends to be a preparatory study, it was probably painted after the large-scale work was completed. Cole is thought to have given it to the artist Asher Brown Durand as a token of their friendship, and their shared passion for the Italian landscape and the practise of sketching in oil.

The National Gallery should extend its opening times in the summer so more of us tourists may enjoy the exhibitions.



Vic Brent

Loved coming here - my favorite ! Even with the school kids coming for their lessons, this was an enjoyable visit. Got a chance to see some of my favorite paintings, by such artists as Turner and Monet.

It was majestic and I was thrilled to be in there. A staff member acted racist. He passed a sarcastic comment at us for taking a pic. While there were many people doing the same, he chose to be nasty to us. Wish he would have cultural tolerance and etiquette to deal with foreign nationals in this country.

I've loved your gallery since the first time I went there, but this Monet and Architecture exhibition was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. I'm a huge Monet fan, so being able to see all those paintings was really life-changing for me, so from the bottom of my heart: thank you.

I went to the Monet and Architecture exhibition on Monday. Really enjoyed the collection of paintings - some I had seen before and others I'd never seen. Beautiful set of paintings even though some didn't look like Monets I am used to. Well worth a visit before it closes.

I was only there for a short time as it was my last day of a London weekend but even in an hour I saw so many wonderful iconic paintings. It was busy as I'd known it would be. it only felt really crowded in the entrance hall; though busy the display rooms had plenty of seats and chances to see the paintings. The guides were helpful and polite and I got to see my first Caravaggio 'up close and personal'. Wonderful!

For the first time an exhibition (Monet) providing a little booklet with all the information about the paintings in it with the result that no-one had to get close to the pictures to read the information. Everyone stood back to view the paintings which meant that short people like me could easily see the pictures. A most civilised visit. And the paintings were stunning - collected from all over the world - many which I have not been seen before.even in books. Highly recommended

Fabulous exhibition of Monet in Architecture. Don't suppose many of those paintings had ever been in the same room together.

Always love the National Gallery, free admission, always something new to see, sit and relax in Trafalgar Square outside

A very well organized museum full of wonderful works of art and employees who are always happy to help. And no entrance fee.

A must see. So much incredible art and genius in one place. It was amazing to be surrounded by such beauty.

A great gallery.

The Manet is a triumph. It must have been hell to curate with paintings loaned from all over the world.

One quibble...not one mention of the political situation in France that brought Monet and others to refuge in London.

Well done.

One of my bucket list places to go and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. I’m no fanatic but I do like being swept away by the works in front of me. Truly inspiring. The only thing that I won’t do again is buy food. Although fantastic quality a bit pricy

Monet and Architecture exhibit viewed. Though busy was able to view all paintings easily. Booklet I liked and also had the audio which added depth. Enjoyed the architectural view of his paintings. Staff helpful to first visitor to gallery.

Being a BIG MJ fan, it was a really treat going to the exhibition on Saturday. Great art work and such amazing pictures to view.

I really enjoyed the experience.

Large representation of many of the most important artists of many art streams. Especially the collection of Turners, Gainsboroughs and Van Goghs is a must see. The museum though is overcrowded and relatively loud which makes it difficult to enjoy the art. Furthermore the art is quite cramped into the rooms.

great art, however security prevent people entering the building if they express popular political views in the form of badges or stickers

They even tried to prevent a woman from entering wearing an anti-brexit t-shirt. I complained and was surrounded by 10 security and 2 managers. Draconian.

Fantastic as always. Only negative was I was with 32 school children. We came mainly to see ‘the virgin on the rocks’ which was closed for an educational reason. Two children had a look through a crack in the barrier. A gallery employee then moved the barrier so the children could not see. He was very stern and didn’t handle the situation very well at all. The two children had chosen the painting to research and we had travelled a long way to see it in London. They were very well behaved. I think the staff member needs some training in how to behave with the public. And a smile goes a long way also.

Very disappointing that out of 2,600 artworks on display, there were only 4 paintings by women! This is a disgrace. There weren't even any trinkets celebrating women artists in the gallery shop. There is a clear lack of interest in following other galleries such as the Uffizi in attempts to finally acknowledge the work of women artists.

The National Gallery should extend its opening times in the summer so more of us tourists may enjoy the exhibitions.



Vic Brent

Loved coming here - my favorite ! Even with the school kids coming for their lessons, this was an enjoyable visit. Got a chance to see some of my favorite paintings, by such artists as Turner and Monet.

It was majestic and I was thrilled to be in there. A staff member acted racist. He passed a sarcastic comment at us for taking a pic. While there were many people doing the same, he chose to be nasty to us. Wish he would have cultural tolerance and etiquette to deal with foreign nationals in this country.

I've loved your gallery since the first time I went there, but this Monet and Architecture exhibition was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. I'm a huge Monet fan, so being able to see all those paintings was really life-changing for me, so from the bottom of my heart: thank you.

I went to the Monet and Architecture exhibition on Monday. Really enjoyed the collection of paintings - some I had seen before and others I'd never seen. Beautiful set of paintings even though some didn't look like Monets I am used to. Well worth a visit before it closes.

I was only there for a short time as it was my last day of a London weekend but even in an hour I saw so many wonderful iconic paintings. It was busy as I'd known it would be. it only felt really crowded in the entrance hall; though busy the display rooms had plenty of seats and chances to see the paintings. The guides were helpful and polite and I got to see my first Caravaggio 'up close and personal'. Wonderful!

For the first time an exhibition (Monet) providing a little booklet with all the information about the paintings in it with the result that no-one had to get close to the pictures to read the information. Everyone stood back to view the paintings which meant that short people like me could easily see the pictures. A most civilised visit. And the paintings were stunning - collected from all over the world - many which I have not been seen before.even in books. Highly recommended

Fabulous exhibition of Monet in Architecture. Don't suppose many of those paintings had ever been in the same room together.

Always love the National Gallery, free admission, always something new to see, sit and relax in Trafalgar Square outside

A very well organized museum full of wonderful works of art and employees who are always happy to help. And no entrance fee.

A must see. So much incredible art and genius in one place. It was amazing to be surrounded by such beauty.

A great gallery.

The Manet is a triumph. It must have been hell to curate with paintings loaned from all over the world.

One quibble...not one mention of the political situation in France that brought Monet and others to refuge in London.

Well done.

One of my bucket list places to go and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. I’m no fanatic but I do like being swept away by the works in front of me. Truly inspiring. The only thing that I won’t do again is buy food. Although fantastic quality a bit pricy

Monet and Architecture exhibit viewed. Though busy was able to view all paintings easily. Booklet I liked and also had the audio which added depth. Enjoyed the architectural view of his paintings. Staff helpful to first visitor to gallery.

Being a BIG MJ fan, it was a really treat going to the exhibition on Saturday. Great art work and such amazing pictures to view.

I really enjoyed the experience.

Large representation of many of the most important artists of many art streams. Especially the collection of Turners, Gainsboroughs and Van Goghs is a must see. The museum though is overcrowded and relatively loud which makes it difficult to enjoy the art. Furthermore the art is quite cramped into the rooms.

great art, however security prevent people entering the building if they express popular political views in the form of badges or stickers

They even tried to prevent a woman from entering wearing an anti-brexit t-shirt. I complained and was surrounded by 10 security and 2 managers. Draconian.

Fantastic as always. Only negative was I was with 32 school children. We came mainly to see ‘the virgin on the rocks’ which was closed for an educational reason. Two children had a look through a crack in the barrier. A gallery employee then moved the barrier so the children could not see. He was very stern and didn’t handle the situation very well at all. The two children had chosen the painting to research and we had travelled a long way to see it in London. They were very well behaved. I think the staff member needs some training in how to behave with the public. And a smile goes a long way also.

Very disappointing that out of 2,600 artworks on display, there were only 4 paintings by women! This is a disgrace. There weren't even any trinkets celebrating women artists in the gallery shop. There is a clear lack of interest in following other galleries such as the Uffizi in attempts to finally acknowledge the work of women artists.

The National Gallery should extend its opening times in the summer so more of us tourists may enjoy the exhibitions.



Vic Brent

Loved coming here - my favorite ! Even with the school kids coming for their lessons, this was an enjoyable visit. Got a chance to see some of my favorite paintings, by such artists as Turner and Monet.

It was majestic and I was thrilled to be in there. A staff member acted racist. He passed a sarcastic comment at us for taking a pic. While there were many people doing the same, he chose to be nasty to us. Wish he would have cultural tolerance and etiquette to deal with foreign nationals in this country.

I've loved your gallery since the first time I went there, but this Monet and Architecture exhibition was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. I'm a huge Monet fan, so being able to see all those paintings was really life-changing for me, so from the bottom of my heart: thank you.

I went to the Monet and Architecture exhibition on Monday. Really enjoyed the collection of paintings - some I had seen before and others I'd never seen. Beautiful set of paintings even though some didn't look like Monets I am used to. Well worth a visit before it closes.

I was only there for a short time as it was my last day of a London weekend but even in an hour I saw so many wonderful iconic paintings. It was busy as I'd known it would be. it only felt really crowded in the entrance hall; though busy the display rooms had plenty of seats and chances to see the paintings. The guides were helpful and polite and I got to see my first Caravaggio 'up close and personal'. Wonderful!

For the first time an exhibition (Monet) providing a little booklet with all the information about the paintings in it with the result that no-one had to get close to the pictures to read the information. Everyone stood back to view the paintings which meant that short people like me could easily see the pictures. A most civilised visit. And the paintings were stunning - collected from all over the world - many which I have not been seen before.even in books. Highly recommended

Fabulous exhibition of Monet in Architecture. Don't suppose many of those paintings had ever been in the same room together.

Always love the National Gallery, free admission, always something new to see, sit and relax in Trafalgar Square outside

A very well organized museum full of wonderful works of art and employees who are always happy to help. And no entrance fee.

A must see. So much incredible art and genius in one place. It was amazing to be surrounded by such beauty.

A great gallery.

The Manet is a triumph. It must have been hell to curate with paintings loaned from all over the world.

One quibble...not one mention of the political situation in France that brought Monet and others to refuge in London.

Well done.

One of my bucket list places to go and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. I’m no fanatic but I do like being swept away by the works in front of me. Truly inspiring. The only thing that I won’t do again is buy food. Although fantastic quality a bit pricy

Monet and Architecture exhibit viewed. Though busy was able to view all paintings easily. Booklet I liked and also had the audio which added depth. Enjoyed the architectural view of his paintings. Staff helpful to first visitor to gallery.

Being a BIG MJ fan, it was a really treat going to the exhibition on Saturday. Great art work and such amazing pictures to view.

I really enjoyed the experience.

Large representation of many of the most important artists of many art streams. Especially the collection of Turners, Gainsboroughs and Van Goghs is a must see. The museum though is overcrowded and relatively loud which makes it difficult to enjoy the art. Furthermore the art is quite cramped into the rooms.

great art, however security prevent people entering the building if they express popular political views in the form of badges or stickers

They even tried to prevent a woman from entering wearing an anti-brexit t-shirt. I complained and was surrounded by 10 security and 2 managers. Draconian.

Fantastic as always. Only negative was I was with 32 school children. We came mainly to see ‘the virgin on the rocks’ which was closed for an educational reason. Two children had a look through a crack in the barrier. A gallery employee then moved the barrier so the children could not see. He was very stern and didn’t handle the situation very well at all. The two children had chosen the painting to research and we had travelled a long way to see it in London. They were very well behaved. I think the staff member needs some training in how to behave with the public. And a smile goes a long way also.

Very disappointing that out of 2,600 artworks on display, there were only 4 paintings by women! This is a disgrace. There weren't even any trinkets celebrating women artists in the gallery shop. There is a clear lack of interest in following other galleries such as the Uffizi in attempts to finally acknowledge the work of women artists.