From the magazine

Decent redesign, ravishing rehang: the new-look National Gallery reviewed

Annabelle Selldorf's remodelling of the Sainsbury Wing is unexciting but inoffensive, while the rehang is exceptional

Digby Warde-Aldam
‘Le Chapeau de Paille’, 1622-5, by Peter Paul Rubens THE NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON
EXPLORE THE ISSUE 17 May 2025
issue 17 May 2025

A little under a year ago, it emerged that builders working on the redevelopment of the National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing had discovered an unusual time capsule embedded in a pillar they had been instructed to knock down. It contained a letter signed by Sir John Sainsbury, who, along with his brothers, had thrown the museum a £50 million lifeline to realise the extension in 1990; and clearly, he wasn’t happy with the way his money was being spent.

GIF Image

Disagree with half of it, enjoy reading all of it

TRY A MONTH FREE
Our magazine articles are for subscribers only. Try a month of Britain’s best writing, absolutely free.

Comments

Join the debate, free for a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.

Already a subscriber? Log in