National Gallery

Coming out of the Charing Cross Station, you will see the National Gallery and St Martin-in-the-Fields standing side by side overlooking the Trafalgar Square.

Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square

View from the National Gallery

The National Gallery houses the national collection of Western European paintings from the 13th -19th Centuries. There are more than 2,300 paintings here. Again it is impossible to appreciate all the paintings unless you have all the time in the world. However, the following are the paintings not to be missed in the National Gallery; just my tuppence worth.

Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh

1888

Several of his paintings are placed together in the room, so I thought I was in the children's section...

The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger

1533

In the foreground is the distorted image of a skull, a symbol of mortality. When seen from a point to the right of the picture the distortion is corrected.

The Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci

1491 and 1506

Its counterpart, Madonna on the Rocks, is in the Louvre, Paris. 

So dark the con of man : Da Vinci Code

Self Portrait at the Age of 34 by Rembrandt

1640

He has produced 40-50 paintings , 32 etchings and 7 drawings of himself.

Reminds me of Carly Simon's "You're so vain..."

Madonna of the Pinks by Raphael

1506-7

Based on Litta Madonna by Leonardo da Vinci in the Hermitage, St Petersburg

I think da Vinci's baby is cuter