The National Gallery in London is home to over 2,300 paintings.
The collection includes pieces by the greatest artists from the 13th to the 20th century.
Being centrally located and accessible to everyone free of charge (operating on a donation basis), it is the ultimate destination for art lovers visiting London.
To book a free ticket click here!
Below, you will find a list of 14 must-see paintings in the National Gallery that you shouldn’t miss during your visit.
Map of the National Gallery in London
How much time do you need to visit the National Gallery? The amount of time needed to visit the National Gallery can vary depending on your interests. For a first visit, I recommend dedicating at least 1-2h.
See also guides for other popular museums in London: British Museum, Natural History Museum, and the V&A.
Must-See Paintings at the National Gallery
If you click on the title of each painting mentioned below, you will be taken to the National Gallery website, where you will be able to preview the painting in greater detail.
1. Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh (1888, room 43)
My list of must-sees at the National Gallery begins with one of the most famous paintings by one of history’s most influential artists, Vincent van Gogh.
The Dutch painter had a tragic personal story, dying by suicide at the age of 37 and not witnessing the success of his creations.
Despite struggling throughout his short life with mental illness and poverty, he produced over 2,100 artworks, some of which are displayed in the National Gallery.
His Sunflowers is without a doubt the most visited painting at the Gallery.
2. The Burlington House Cartoon, Leonardo da Vinci (c. 1499-1500, room 17a)
The Burlington House Cartoon is over 500 years old and remains the only surviving large-scale drawing by the Italian genius Leonardo da Vinci.
The drawing was probably a preparation for a now-lost or never-executed painting.
It was also used as a source for paintings by others.
The Burlington House Cartoon depicts the Virgin Mary, her mother Saint Anne, the Christ Child, and the young John the Baptist, and it is one of the greatest treasures in the National Gallery collection.
3. Virgin of the Rocks (c. 1491–1508, room 9)
In Room 9, you can also find a painting most likely designed by Leonardo and probably executed by his assistants.
The Louvre has an earlier version of the Virgin of the Rocks painted by the artist himself in its collection.
This painting depicts the Virgin Mary and child Jesus with the infant John the Baptist and an angel, set in a rocky landscape, hence the name of the painting.
4. Unfinished paintings by Michelangelo, (c1500-01, room 9)
In Room 9, you can find two unfinished paintings by the Italian Renaissance genius Michelangelo. One is The Entombment, depicting the burial of Jesus.
The other is The Manchester Madonna, showing the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, St. John the Baptist, and angels.
5. The Gallery’s oldest painting ( c. 1263–64, room F)
The altarpiece by Italian painter Margaritone d’Arezzo in Gallery F on Level 0 is the oldest piece in the National Gallery and is 750 years old.
The painting depicts Madonna and Child, with eight smaller scenes from the lives of saints on the sides.
The artist was one of the first Italian artists to sign his works, including this one.
6. The Gallery’s first stolen painting (featured also in the first James Bond movie!)
In Room 45, you can see Francisco de Goya’s Portrait of the Duke of Wellington (c. 1812-14).
This painting of an important national hero went missing from the National Gallery exactly 50 years after the famous theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre – both paintings were stolen on August 21st.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911, and The Portrait of the Duke of Wellington in 1961.
Despite the suggestion in the first James Bond movie (screened in 1962) that the painting was in the possession of the villain Dr. No…
… it was later discovered in 1965 that it was actually stolen by a retired bus driver who was demanding free TV licences for pensioners in the UK!
Fun fact! The prop painting used in the movie, painted over one weekend by the movie production designer, also went missing after filming.
Room No. 38 of the National Gallery serves as a home for various pieces by the Italian painter Canaletto.
Between 1749 and 1755, he spent some time in England producing various views of London (famously depicting Westminster Abbey, Westminster Bridge, and Greenwich), but the gallery’s space is dominated by his paintings of his home city of Venice.
8. The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, Paul Delaroche (1833, room 45)
Lady Jane Grey was a 17-year-old queen executed on February 12, 1554, by the order of Queen Mary I at the Tower of London.
Seeing the painting portraying the moments preceding her death is a great introduction to the long and brutal history of executions in London.
If you enjoyed this painting, you might also like the next one…
9. Witches at Their Incantations, Salvator Rosa (c1646, room 32)
Painted by one of the most original Italian artists of the 17th century, who, among his various subjects, chose to depict scenes of witchcraft.
This painting is both captivating and unsettling.
10. The Arnolfini Portrait, Jan van Eyck (1434, room 28)
A 600-year-old painting depicting a wealthy couple, believed to be Giovanni di Nicolao di Arnolfini and his wife, standing in a lavishly decorated room.
The painting includes a convex mirror reflecting the Flemish artist Jan van Eyck, himself.
11. The Ambassadors, Hans Holbein the Younger (1533, room 12)
Almost 500 years old, this wonderfully complex painting depicts a double portrait by one of the greatest portraitists of the 16th century, the German-Swiss painter Hans Holbein the Younger.
The painting includes an anamorphic skull that can only be properly viewed from a specific angle, adding a strange and intriguing element to the work.
12. Fruit Dish, Bottle and Violin, Pablo Picasso (1914, room 43)
In Room 43 of the National Gallery, you can find pieces by the co-founder of Cubism and arguably the most famous artist of the 20th century, the Spanish painter Pablo Picasso.
He was exceptionally prolific throughout the course of his long life and lived to see his fame and gain significant fortune due to his creations.
Picasso left behind almost 2,000 paintings, over 1,000 sculptures, countless drawings, and prints.
13. The Thames below Westminster, Claude Monet (1871, room 44)
The National Gallery in London has a notable collection of paintings by Claude Monet, a French painter and founder of Impressionism.
Apart from his famous water lilies-themed paintings, you can also see some of his works featuring London, such as The Thames below Westminster.
Claude Monet visited London multiple times throughout his life.
14. Samson and Delilah, Peter Paul Rubens (c. 1609–1610, room 18)
If you are an admirer of Peter Paul Rubens’ art, you will be spoiled for choice, as the National Gallery is home to a significant number of pieces by this famous Flemish painter.
You can find them in rooms 14, 18, 20, and 34.
You have reached the end of this post.
Obviously, the pieces described above are only a fraction of the collection at the National Gallery, but I hope I have managed to convince you that the Gallery is worth visiting!
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