From aspiring art buff to art world connoisseur: London’s galleries cater to all
London’s galleries showcase art from as early as AD1500 with a variety of styles and tastes to cater for everyone. Whether you have a couple of days or a week to explore London’s fair city, a visit to some of London’s galleries will fulfil your artistic curiosities.
As a starting point for your London gallery experience, visit The National Portrait Gallery on St Martin’s Place. Taking time to wander past the multitude of portraits in this gallery will allow you to get acquainted with the who’s who of British history. The gallery has portraits of the most famous British people over the past 500 years; two highlights include counting the fifty portraits that the current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, appears in and taking a look at the gallery’s oldest dated portrait – that of King Henry VII, which dates from 1505. Once you’ve become acquainted with the movers and shakers of British history, a visit to the Tate Britain will be in order, so you can whet your whistle on the history of British art itself.
The Tate Britain gallery situated on Millbank, displays British art from AD1500 to the present day. A visit to the Tate Britain is an excellent way to discover the evolution of British art as you meander through the gallery’s extensive collections. The collections showcase some of the most important British works, including amazing two-metre high canvasses of the English countryside in Suffolk by John Constable. Constable is hailed as creating some of the best landscape artworks in British art history. Interestingly though, he lived in the heart of London and created most of his famous works from existing sketches, as opposed to spending leisurely days painting in the countryside itself. The Tate Britain also contains vast collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, surrealist and pop art, all situated in an ideal central location.
If the Tate Britain stirs your desire for more modern art then the Tate Modern, on Bankside, is well worth exploring. The building itself is a masterpiece as the gallery was created from a disused power station in central London and overlooking the Thames river. The huge space above the main foyer provides an intriguing canvas for temporary exhibitions. The gallery’s permanent collections begin with works from 1900 and the gallery holds one of the largest collections of works by modern artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Dali and Warhol.
Whilst it is obviously not a conventional art venue, in recent years the London Underground or ‘Tube’ has been a canvas for modern artists. Works displayed on the Tube reflect the nature of life in London and provide a welcome distraction from the often busy carriages. An underground station is within walking distance of almost any hotel in London and you can use the fast, efficient transport system to get to the other galleries as well.
London’s art galleries are a superb way to experience British culture and history and provide a welcome escape from the crowds at the iconic London sights for anyone visiting the city.
Disclaimer: Matthew Pressman writes for a wide variety of commercial clients. This article is intended for information purposes only and readers should seek additional information before taking any actions based on its content.
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