200 years ago, in May 1824, the National Gallery of London opened its doors to the public.

It was first housed in the former townhouse of the late John Julius Angerstein, a Lloyd’s underwriter and patron of the fine arts. Upon Angerstein’s death, his art collection consisting of 38 paintings came on the market and was purchased by King George IV and Lord Liverpool, the prime minister, for the establishment of a national art gallery.

Through purchases and private donations, the Gallery’s collection has grown to include roughly 2,400 works in the 200 years since its founding. These works include:

Vincent Van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888

Titian, Holy Family with a Shepherd, about 1510

Claude Monet, The Water-Lily Pond, 1899

Georges Seurat, Bathers at Asnières 1884

The National Gallery is free to visit and is supported by donations, memberships, and patronage. Visit their website here.