Monet, 'Snow Scene at Argenteuil', 1875

Monet, 'Water-Lilies, Setting Sun', about 1907

Gauguin, 'Bowl of Fruit and Tankard before a Window', probably 1890

Sainsbury Bequest paintings left to the National Gallery

The National Gallery has been left five paintings by Simon Sainsbury. Three of these works - two paintings by Monet and a still life by Gauguin - will go on display at the Gallery from 22 October.

Simon Sainsbury, who died in 2006, was a generous philanthropist who devoted enormous effort to the arts. He had been a long supporter of the National Gallery, serving on the Board of Trustees from 1991-98. He showed incredible dedication to the building of the Sainsbury Wing, which opened in 1991.

The paintings

The two new works by Monet will add to the Gallery's strong holdings of this artist's work. 'Snow Scene at Argenteuil' is the largest and most atmospheric of a series Monet completed in the winter of 1874-5.

'Water-Lilies, Setting Sun' will add to the Gallery's collection of Monet's later paintings, inviting fruitful comparisons with other paintings from his water-lily series.

The third painting coming to the Gallery this year is Gauguin's 'Bowl of Fruit and Tankard before a Window'. This work provides a strong example of the artist moving away from Impressionism under the influence of Cézanne.

Two further works by Degas and Henri Rousseau will follow in due course.

Nicholas Penny, Director of the National Gallery, said that the paintings left to the Gallery ‘will make a huge difference to our Impressionist and Post Impressionist galleries’.

The Simon Sainsbury Bequest, including a further 13 paintings left to Tate, is on display in Room 8 at Tate Britain until 5 October 2008.


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