Travel back through 200 extraordinary years of history of the National Gallery - from its origins in a private house in Pall Mall to its current home in bustling Trafalgar Square. ‘200 Years of the National Gallery’ is a three-part documentary miniseries. Stream for free exclusively on the National Gallery’s YouTube channel.
Through the eyes of the staff, past and present, who care for the nation’s collection, and with rarely seen and newly digitised archive footage and images, we go exclusively behind-the-scenes to see the role the Gallery plays at the heart of the cultural life of the UK.
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The National Gallery was founded as an act of parliament, for the public – unlike European galleries formed from royal collections. From our origins in a private home on Pall Mall to a new building in Trafalgar Square, our collection grows from significant bequests and paintings bought for the nation.
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Now a gallery to rival its European counterparts, as the 20th century dawns the National Gallery faces new challenges. There is great competition from a burgeoning international art market and rocketing costs of acquiring masterpieces. And by the midpoint in this new century, it would have faced - and come through - the First and Second World Wars.
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The National Gallery has proved its value - and the value of art - in the darkest hours of the early 20th century. Its staff now host exhibitions, do scientific research, conserve the paintings, make refreshments, and put on events. This next chapter is thoroughly modern in tone.
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