The National Gallery's must-see paintings
The top 3 according to 101 votes from people: The Arnolfini Portrait — Jan van Eyck · Sunflowers — Vincent van Gogh · The Virgin of the Rocks — Leonardo da Vinci. (Updated Oct 28, 2024.)
The masterpieces not to miss at London's National Gallery, from Van Eyck to Van Gogh, as picked by ARTnews and visitor guides.
Top 18
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1
The Arnolfini Portrait — Jan van Eyck
1434. The couple, the dog and the convex mirror.
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2
Sunflowers — Vincent van Gogh
1888. One of the most famous paintings in the world.
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3
The Virgin of the Rocks — Leonardo da Vinci
c. 1491-1508. The London version of his mysterious altarpiece.
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4
The Hay Wain — John Constable
1821. A cart crossing a river in Suffolk.
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5
The Burlington House Cartoon — Leonardo da Vinci
c. 1499-1500. A huge chalk drawing of the Virgin and Saint Anne.
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6
Self Portrait at the Age of 34 — Rembrandt
1640. Confident and elegant.
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7
Rain, Steam and Speed — J. M. W. Turner
1844. A train bursting through the rain.
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8
Bathers at Asnières — Georges Seurat
1884. Workers relaxing by the Seine.
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9
The Rokeby Venus — Diego Velázquez
c. 1647-1651. His only surviving nude.
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10
The Ambassadors — Hans Holbein the Younger
1533. Two diplomats and a skull you only see from the side.
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11
Samson and Delilah — Peter Paul Rubens
c. 1609-1610. Samson asleep as his hair is cut.
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12
The Water-Lily Pond — Claude Monet
1899. The Japanese bridge at Giverny.
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13
The Supper at Emmaus — Caravaggio
1601. The moment the disciples recognise Christ.
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14
The Fighting Temeraire — J. M. W. Turner
1839. A warship towed to the breaker's yard at sunset.
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15
Venus and Mars — Sandro Botticelli
c. 1485. Mars asleep, Venus watching.
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16
Bacchus and Ariadne — Titian
1520-1523. Bacchus leaps from his chariot.
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17
The Execution of Lady Jane Grey — Paul Delaroche
1833. A theatrical, huge history painting.
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18
Whistlejacket — George Stubbs
c. 1762. A life-size rearing horse with no background.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (1)
The Ambassadors skull trick blew my mind as a kid, you have to stand at the side of the room