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In 1893 Claude Monet, a keen gardener, bought a plot of land next to his house in Giverny, where he wanted to create a water garden ‘both for the pleasure of the eye and for the purpose of having subjects to paint’. He filled the pond with water lilies and built a bridge at one end, inspired by examples he had seen in Japanese prints. This water garden became the focus of Monet’s later career and the subject of some 250 paintings.Alongside an overview of the painter’s life, Ross King considers the profound impact of Japanese art on Monet’s working practice, the historical events of the time, the artist’s fascination with painting bridges, and the personal tragedy that led to his ultimate desire to capture and immortalise on canvas a succession of ever-changing moments in his garden.Published by National Gallery Global Ltd/Distributed by Yale University Press

A significant publication of original writing on Lucian Freud, including interviews with leading contemporary artists, marking the 100th anniversary of his birthLucian Freud (1922–2011) was one of the greatest figurative painters of the twentieth century. With an unflinching eye and an uncompromising commitment to his work, he created masterpieces that continue to inspire contemporary artists to the present day.Spanning nearly 70 years, Freud’s career has often been overshadowed by his biography and celebrity. This book re-examines his paintings through a broad series of original approaches. Texts by a variety of rising and established international writers explore topics ranging from the compositional echoes of old master paintings in Freud’s works, to the contextualization of his practice within the class struggles of 1980s Britain. Throughout the book, leading contemporary painters such as Tracey Emin and Chantal Joffe give insightful testimony to the relevance of Freud today.  Marking the 100th anniversary of Freud’s birth, this publication accompanies the first major exhibition of his work in 10 years. Presenting fresh perspectives on his paintings, it introduces Freud to a new generation of scholars and enthusiasts – demonstrating his lasting international importance.   Published by National Gallery Global/Distributed by Yale University Press

Dedicated to Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664), one of the great painters of seventeenth‑century Spain, this publication celebrates the drama and power of his distinctive body of work.A peer of Murillo and Velázquez, Zurbarán’s innovative approach to sacred subjects imbues his works with a startling naturalism and deep emotional force. He spent most of his life in Seville, then one of the wealthiest cities in Europe. Working for monasteries, private patrons and the King of Spain, he produced striking depictions of saints and altarpieces of staggering scale and ingenuity. His still-life paintings, rich in finely observed details and charged with symbolism, remain vivid today. Written by experts in the field and featuring exciting new discoveries, this lavishly illustrated publication explores Zurbarán’s most important commissions, from dramatic religious visions to tender domestic scenes, offering a fresh appraisal of this singularly gifted artist. Exhibition Schedule:The National Gallery, London(2 May–23 August 2026)Musée du Louvre, Paris(7 October 2026-25 January 2027)Art Institute of Chicago(28 February-20 June 2027)Published by National Gallery Global Ltd/Distributed by Yale University Press

An accessible introduction to American painter Winslow Homer, examining his work through the lens of conflictA fresh exploration of the work of iconic American painter Winslow Homer (1836–1910) through the lens of conflict, a recurring theme in his prolific career. A persistent fascination with struggle permeates Homer’s art⁠—from emblematic images of the Civil War and Reconstruction to dazzling tropical works and monumental marines⁠—and reveals his lifelong engagement with the charged subjects of race, nature, and the environment.  This publication illuminates Homer’s preoccupation with the complex social and political issues of his era—war, slavery, imperialism—as well as his broader concerns with the fragility of human life and dominance of nature. These powerful themes are present in his earliest Civil War and Reconstruction paintings, which explore the effect of the conflict on the landscape, soldiers, and the formerly enslaved. They continue through his later images of rural life, dramatic rescues, and hunting⁠—paintings that grapple with the often uneasy relationship between humans and the natural world. Toward the end of his life, human figures were reduced to tiny, irrelevant presences, while the ocean acquired a pivotal role.This richly illustrated volume will be published to accompany a retrospective at the National Gallery, organized in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Published by National Gallery Global/Distributed by Yale University Press

An exploration of the fascinating parallels and differences between Picasso’s Woman with a Book and Ingres’s Madame MoitessierThis publication examines, in detail, two extraordinary interrelated works: Picasso’s Woman with a Book (1932) and Ingres’s Madame Moitessier (1844–56). Each painting is explored in depth, illuminating the parallels and differences between the artists’ techniques and creative ambitions. The first essay tells the story of the twelve-year gestation of Ingres’s Madame Moitessier, focusing on the role of drawings in the elaboration of the composition, and of the sitter herself in determining how she was to be presented. The second essay traces the development of Picasso’s Woman with a Book, among the most celebrated likenesses of the artist’s young lover, Marie-Thérèse Walter. In contrast to Ingres’s work, it was painted in just a day or two. The final essay explores, through these two works, the artists’ shared interest in the relationship between nude and clothed bodies, revealing the depth of Picasso’s engagement with Madame Moitessier, which motivates and animates Woman with a Book.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

A new series of small, exquisite hardbacks from London’s National Gallery, in which its unrivalled collection is explored through a variety of appealing themes This book explores the rich variety of the genre, from seventeenth-century Dutch flower paintings to bold Post-Impressionist interpretations, inviting readers to delve into an array of unexpected and delightful details. Published by National Gallery Global Ltd/Distributed by Yale University Press

A new series of small, exquisite hardbacks from London’s National Gallery, in which its unrivalled collection is explored through a variety of appealing themes From soft furs and velvets to shimmering silks and glittering brocade, for centuries the depiction of clothing has allowed artists to flaunt their skills, flattering sitters and captivating viewers. This book delves into the evolving history of fashion, deciphering the sartorial signals conveyed by fabric, style, jewels, and accessories. Published by National Gallery Global Ltd/Distributed by Yale University Press

Produced in collaboration with the National Gallery, this resource pack outlines a range of activities for pre- and post-16 students of chemistry and art. Printed in full colour throughout, the pack comprises:* A guide to using the pack* A3-sized prints of 10 paintings from the National Gallery, London* A booklet with historical information on each painting, including details on the part science played in cleaning, conservation and restoration* A booklet of experiments for pre-16 students* A booklet for post-16 students

The impressive collection of 18th-century French paintings at the National Gallery, London, includes important works by Boucher, Chardin, David, Fragonard, Watteau, and many others. This volume presents over seventy detailed and extensively illustrated entries that expand our understanding of these paintings. Comprehensive research uncovers new information on provenance and on the lives of identified portrait sitters. Humphrey Wine explains the social and political contexts of many of the paintings, and an introductory essay looks at the attitude of 18th-century Britons to the French, as well as the market for 18th-century French paintings then in London salerooms.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

This new volume in the series of National Gallery collection catalogues focuses on 16th-century Bologna and Ferrara. The Gallery holds the most important collection of these paintings outside Italy, including works by Garofalo representing his entire range as an artist; exquisite and grotesque miniature narratives by Mazzolino; a large masterpiece by the short-lived genius known as Ortolano; and some of the most dazzling paintings by the eccentric Dosso Dossi. There are two altarpieces by Lorenzo Costa along with his highly original Concert, and Francesco Francia's Buonvisi altarpiece. The book defines the special quality of works from the region, but also traces the influence of Perugino, Raphael, and Titian. New archival and technical research and provenance information reveal the fortunes of artists’ reputations across a long arc in the history of taste.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

The National Gallery, London possesses an important collection of paintings by 16th-century Netherlandish artists, including Joachim Beuckelaer, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Jean Gossart, and Quinten Massys. They are grouped here with a small number of French paintings, some by artists who came from the Low Countries (Corneille de Lyon, probably Jean Hey, and perhaps the Master of Saint Giles). Lorne Campbell’s catalogue is a model of scholarship; he examined all the pictures with conservators and rigorously researched their histories, subjects, and styles. New discoveries about artists’ techniques and practices have led to many reattributions, and the rescue from anonymity of over twenty paintings. The identities of several patrons are established or suggested, while an introductory essay explains how contemporaries regarded these paintings. Generously illustrated, with many details and technical photographs, and beautifully produced, this comprehensive catalogue is essential reading for scholars, while also introducing general readers to a vital part of the Gallery’s collection.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

If the Paintings Could Talk reveals the hidden histories of paintings in the National Gallery, London. With a treasury of fascinating facts, discoveries, and tales, this book describes the flight a work took down a mountainside and the portrait that appeared in a James Bond film, among many other entertaining events and stories. An engaging, accessible, and highly original gallery guide that cross-references entries throughout, the book provides a unique tour of this remarkable collection.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

Frames often catch the eye and arouse the curiosity of visitors to galleries and museums, yet labels and catalogues rarely comment on them. Nicholas Penny conveys his interest in the history of frames, the design and techniques of frame-making, what frames do for paintings, and the part they play in the decoration and often the architecture of an interior. The emphasis is on the changing function and varied purpose of frames as well as the different styles of ornament, materials, finishes, and techniques used. This Closer Look guide is illustrated by frames from the National Gallery's magnificent collection.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

A Closer Look is the new series title for the updated and refreshed National Gallery Pocket Guide range. The series has been enhanced with a stronger format, attractive design, new photography, and additional information. The philosophy of modern conservation is different from that of previous eras: the emphasis now is on long-term stabilization by methods that alter the structure of a painting as little as possible. Nevertheless, if paintings are obscured by discolored varnishes and old repaints, they are cleaned, and this has often led to anxiety and debate as long-admired images are transformed. A Closer Look: Conservation of Paintings discusses the material nature of paintings and the ways that they have changed, both naturally and at the hands of previous restorers. It also describes the main types of conservation treatment carried out on panel and canvas paintings and some of the complex issues involved in cleaning and restoration. Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

A Closer Look is the new series title for the updated and refreshed National Gallery Pocket Guide range. The series has been enhanced with a stronger format, attractive design, new photography, and additional information.It is self-evident that colour is fundamental to painting, but it is not always obvious from looking at pictures what kinds of materials may be used by an artist to make colour. This Pocket Guide explains how coloured pigments are combined with a medium to form a paint layer, and how this affects our perception of the appearance of colour. It not only describes the materials of colour but also explains colour theories and examines writings about colour, including painters’ treatises.Through a selection of superb pictures from the National Gallery, London, including works by Piero della Francesca, Leonardo, Titian, Caravaggio, Canaletto, Rembrandt, Velázquez, Monet, and Seurat, the authors demonstrate how painters through the centuries have exploited the characteristics of colour in paint.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

The National Gallery started life in 1824 when the British government purchased the collection of 38 pictures belonging to the estate of wealthy banker John Julius Angerstein. As there was no suitable space available to display the collection, the pictures were put on display in Angerstein’s former home in Pall Mall. It was only in 1838 that the collection moved to its current site in Trafalgar Square. The building and collection have continued to expand ever since; today, the National Gallery houses one of the world’s greatest collections of western European paintings. This book brings together the stories behind the founding and growth of the National Gallery: the generous benefactors, the architectural controversies, the protracted acquisitions, the dedicated staff, and the visiting public. Generously illustrated, it aims to give insight into the history of the people and events that have helped shape this much-loved national institution.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

Faces are everywhere in the National Gallery’s collection: in portraits and narrative scenes, in allegories and paintings of everyday life. It is often the faces shown that communicate most directly in a picture; their expressions may reveal the drama of a story, or the character of a sitter in a portrait. A Closer Look: Faces examines a wide array of fascinating faces found in paintings at the National Gallery. It explains why artists in the past created faces to look as they do, what painters through the ages have considered the "ideal" face, how faces are painted, and the reasons for the development of portrait painting. Illustrated with seventy pictures and beautiful details, this book provides an insider's view of the many faces in Western European art.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

Painters in the past and commercial artists in our own day have relied on allegory to create "message pictures." Once thought to rival literary works or political oratory in influence and prestige, such paintings, with their references to ancient myth, the Bible, or medieval astrology, all too often puzzle modern viewers. This Closer Look guide illustrates and explains the main types of visual allegory in Western art and the contexts in which they were originally created and viewed.Published by the National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

The National Gallery in London houses one of the richest collections of Western European paintings in the world, ranging from the 13th to the 20th century. In this beautiful book, one hundred of the greatest works from the collection, each by a different artist, are presented in chronological order, and accompanied by a lively, informative text and full-page color reproductions. From the earliest—a remnant of an Italian altarpiece dating from around 1265—to the most recent—Paul Cézanne’s great Bathers, of about 1894–1905—each painting has been carefully chosen for the unique significance it holds; whether representing a particular artist, place or time, or simply for its beauty and the pleasure it provides to the viewer. The painters featured here include some of the most famous names in European art—Duccio, Giotto, Dürer, Holbein, van Eyck, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán, Goya, Caravaggio, Claude, Poussin, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Constable, Turner, Courbet, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Rousseau, and Van Gogh—and some of the most iconic paintings in the world—The Wilton Diptych, The Arnolfini Portrait, The Ambassadors, and Sunflowers. These selected highlights introduce some of the most inspiring paintings ever made. The reader can dip in to explore individual paintings, or read from cover to cover for a full survey.Published by the National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

The English Romantic artist Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851) was hailed as the "painter of light" for his brilliantly colored landscapes and seascapes. He drew much influence from the French painter Claude Lorrain (c. 1604/5?–1682), who was a vital force in Turner's artistic practice from his formative years until the end of his working life. So great was Claude's influence that Turner stipulated in his will that his works hang alongside Claude's in the National Gallery, London.This book examines the ways in which Turner consistently strove to confront Claude's achievement and legacy. He had encountered Claude's works in salerooms and in the collections of his aristocratic patrons, and applied what he had learned to the British countryside, producing views of the Thames valley that transform it into an idyllic pastoral scene reminiscent of the Roman Campagna. For the balance of his career, Turner continued to pit himself against Claude, paying homage even as he continually sought to go beyond the accomplishments of his master.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule:The National Gallery, London(03/14/12-06/05/12)

Landscape is probably the most popular type of painting, but anyone who has ever been disappointed by vacation photographs knows how difficult it is to turn a view into a picture.  This book shows how artists in past centuries translated outdoor space and light into paint, and how landscape imagery evolved from mere ornament into a visual metaphor of the human condition.  The story is told from its beginnings in Roman mural decoration, through the Renaissance transformation of landscape into a vehicle for feelings and ideas, to the Impressionist revolution and beyond.  The continuing relevance of art to how we see the world, and our place in it, is demonstrated through a practical discussion of optics of real and painted landscape, illustrated with works from the National Gallery, London.  Published by National Gallery, London/Distributed by Yale University Press

In a long career that spanned the French Revolution, the rise and fall of Napoleon, and the Bourbon Restoration, Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761–1845) created innovative and daring paintings in the midst of the most turbulent times. Bringing together two dozen of Boilly’s works—the majority of which have never before been published—this handsome volume includes portraiture, scenes of seduction, and groundbreaking representations of raucous Parisian street life. A master technician with acute powers of observation and a wry sense of humor, Boilly invented the term trompe l’oeil and popularized the genre through his stunningly realistic compositions. In this first English-language publication on Boilly in more than 20 years, Francesca Whitlum-Cooper vividly brings the artist and the period he lived in to life, shedding new light on Boilly’s work and expanding our understanding of how art functioned within France’s rapidly changing political environment.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule:National Gallery, London(02/27/19–05/19/19)

An exceptional introduction to European paintings from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century through one of the greatest collections in the world.This richly illustrated and beautifully designed book offers an ideal introduction to European painting from the 13th to the early 20th century. The National Gallery, London, houses one of the finest collections of Western European art in the world. Its extraordinary range includes exceptional paintings from medieval Europe through the early Renaissance and on to Post-Impressionism, including masterpieces by Leonardo, Hans Holbein, Titian, Velázquez, Rembrandt, Turner, Monet, and Van Gogh.This volume showcases more than 250 of the Gallery’s most treasured pictures, providing an opportunity to make connections across this uniquely representative collection. Paintings are accompanied by numerous details, as well as brief and illuminating texts, providing an informative and visually rich survey of hundreds of years of European painting.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

A definitive overview of one of the most celebrated figures of the Italian RenaissanceAmong the great figures of the Italian Renaissance, Raphael (1483–1520)  is unarguably the artist who has been most widely and consistently admired across the centuries. He had an extraordinary and perhaps unrivaled capacity for self-reinvention—as he progressed from Umbria to Florence and Rome—and an ability to draw strength from the other great artists around him, seemingly growing in stature the more daunting the competition became. This insightful, impeccably researched, and comprehensive volume chronicles the progress of his career in all its richness and complexity. Sumptuous production values and generous illustrations go hand in hand with its rigorous and wide-ranging scholarship. The essays explore Raphael’s paintings and drawings, his frescoes in the Vatican Stanze, his designs for tapestries, sculptures and prints, and his engagement with architecture. Detailed and authoritative catalogue entries examine many of Raphael’s finest works.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

Poussin’s scenes of bacchanalian revelry, tripping maenads and skipping nymphs are often described as ‘dancelike’ and ‘choreographed’. The artist’s dancing pictures helped him develop a new approach to painting that would become the model for the French classical tradition. Shedding the sensuous, painterly manner of his early career, Poussin carved out the crisp, relief-like approach that characterized his mature work and set the precedent for three centuries of French art, from Le Brun and David to Cézanne and Picasso. He carried lessons learned from dance into every corner of his production.This book brings together a key group of paintings and drawings by Poussin, exploring the theme of dance and dancers in his production for the first time. Focusing on the dancing pictures created in Rome in the 1620s and 1630s, essays connect Poussin’s interest in dance, his study of antiquities, and his formulation of a new classical style. Richly illustrated and engagingly written, this publication uses the prism of dance to cast Poussin in a new, fresh light.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule:J. Paul Getty MuseumJune 8 – August 29, 2021National Gallery, LondonOctober 9, 2021 – January 2, 2022

The National Gallery’s second Artist in Residence is Ali Cherri (b. 1976), a Lebanon-born artist based in Beirut and Paris. Known for his sculptures, films and installations, Cherri is interested in the aesthetics, practices and politics associated with the museum classification and collecting of objects, animals, images, and their narratives. Cherri was recently awarded the Silver Lion at the 2022 Venice Biennale.  The first survey of Cherri’s work in English, this book will give an overview of the artist’s archaeological approach to the heritage of objects by investigating their relationships to history, society and nature. It will introduce Cherri to a broad audience and document his journey from the beginning of his residency to the production and display of the final work at the National Gallery in the autumn of 2021, followed by the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in spring 2022.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

This richly illustrated publication explores the lasting influence of Gainsborough’s Blue Boy on British art and cultureMarking the return of Gainsborough’s Blue Boy to the UK exactly 100 years since it left for the United States, this richly illustrated publication will explore the lasting influence of this iconic painting on British art and culture. During the nineteenth century, the painting’s fame grew and full-length portraits by Gainsborough and his contemporaries became much sought after by wealthy American collectors. The sale of The Blue Boy to the American railroad magnate and collector Henry E. Huntington in 1921 was unsurprisingly viewed as a national tragedy—emblematic of a shift in economic and cultural power. However, its afterlife, as a permanent ambassador for British art, has undoubtedly fed into ideas of Britain and Britishness—its history, society, culture and character—that still resonate today. Including a select group of paintings that demonstrate the profound influence of Sir Anthony van Dyck and the old master tradition on Gainsborough’s practice and identity, Gainsborough’s Blue Boy will examine this masterpiece within the context of the National Gallery’s collection.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

The extraordinary story behind Manet’s portrait of his only pupil Eva Gonzalès, placed within the broader context of women painters of the periodEdouard Manet (1832–1883) only ever had one formal pupil, Eva Gonzalès (1849–1883). The daughter of a prominent writer, she entered Manet’s studio aged 19. He portrayed her the year they met and exhibited the ambitious full-length portrait at the Paris Salon of 1870, at which Gonzalès also displayed her own work, for the first time, to positive reviews.The first in a new series of Discover titles, in which a single work of art in the National Gallery’s collection is reconsidered from a fresh perspective, this book reveals the extraordinary story behind Manet’s portrait by examining it in the context of women’s artistic practice in nineteenth-century Paris, Gonzalès’s development as a professional painter, and Manet’s career in 1870.Combining new art historical research with engaging essays on women artists and their representation in visual culture, Discover Manet & Eva Gonzalès provides a richly illustrated, in-depth study of Manet’s portrait and offers a groundbreaking viewpoint on both artists.Published by National Gallery Global/Distributed by Yale University Press

An exploration of Turner as an artist-traveler, in relation to two important European harbor scenesThis publication marks the return to the United Kingdom, for the first time in over a century, of two groundbreaking oil paintings by J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851), on loan from The Frick Collection in New York: Harbour of Dieppe: Changement de Domicile and Cologne, the Arrival of a Packet-Boat: Evening. They were acquired by wealthy American industrialist Henry Clay Frick in 1914 and have remained in the USA ever since.  Painted in the mid-1820s, Dieppe and Cologne exemplify Turner’s lifelong fascination with the subject of ports and harbors⁠—past and present⁠—as dynamic, transitional places. Exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1825 and 1826 respectively, they represent in powerfully visual terms the outcomes of Turner’s regular sketching tours within Europe that were central to his fame as an artist-traveler, as well as his radical approach to color, light, and brushwork. This sumptuously illustrated publication examines Turner’s creative process, and his use of sketchbooks and watercolors to capture his ideas as he traveled. Published by National Gallery Global/Distributed by Yale University Press