What to See in 60 minutes at the The National Gallery

A masterpiece of detail and symbolism, Van Eyck’s double portrait immortalizes a wealthy couple with light so precise it feels divine. Every reflection tells a story.

Leonardo blends mystery, science, and spirituality — figures emerge from shadow as light reveals divine geometry. A moment of serenity suspended in chiaroscuro.

A double portrait and a puzzle of symbols — Holbein’s precise realism conceals a hidden skull and layers of meaning about faith, knowledge, and mortality.

Velázquez’s sensual Venus gazes at herself in a mirror held by Cupid — a daring blend of realism and ideal beauty that shocked and fascinated its viewers.

In Caravaggio’s stark light, revelation feels immediate. Christ’s blessing and the disciples’ astonishment bridge the sacred and the human.

A hymn to the English countryside — Constable’s sunlight and clouds capture both nostalgia and national pride in one luminous scene.

Turner’s sunset elegy for the age of sail — a ghostly warship towed to its end, glowing with the melancholy of progress.

Seurat’s luminous dots of color shimmer into life — a quiet summer day on the Seine, painted with scientific precision and poetic calm.

Van Gogh’s bold yellows and thick brushstrokes radiate warmth and devotion. His sunflowers are both self-portrait and symbol of fragile beauty.

Monet dissolves form into color — a floating world of reflections and light. His Water-Lilies invite us into pure perception and peace.