This guided tour of the National Gallery in London begins at the entrance of the Sainsbury Wing, where we start exploring some of the most important works in Western art history.
We begin with the Early Italian Renaissance, discovering masters such as Piero della Francesca and Sandro Botticelli. Then we encounter one of the museum’s most iconic pieces: The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck.
In the High Renaissance rooms, things get serious: works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, who essentially defined the rules of art for centuries. We’ll also see The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger, packed with symbolism and hidden details.
We move into the Baroque period, where contrast and drama take center stage with Caravaggio as a leading figure of tenebrism. His influence spreads across Europe and is reflected in artists such as Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, and Diego Velázquez, whose The Rokeby Venus we will admire.
In the 18th century, we enjoy the Venetian landscapes of Canaletto before jumping to one of the most revolutionary moments in art with J. M. W. Turner. Works like Rain, Steam and Speed and The Fighting Temeraire reflect the impact of the Industrial Revolution and open the door to new ways of seeing the world, alongside John Constable.
The tour continues with Impressionism, a complete break from academic tradition. The collection features key names such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, and Edgar Degas, capturing everyday life with a fresh new perspective.
To wrap up this journey, we reach Room 43, where one of the museum’s most sought-after works awaits: Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh, along with other pieces that crown the experience.
This tour of the National Gallery is more than just a museum visit—it’s a journey through the evolution of art, from the Renaissance to Impressionism, perfect for understanding how the way we see (and paint) the world has changed.