National Gallery documentary celebrates bicentennial with royal and visitor voices

A new documentary, "National Gallery 200," directed by Ali Ray and Phil Grabsky, will screen in Italian cinemas on October 22 and 23, 2024, distributed by Nexo Studios as part of the Grande Arte al Cinema series. The film marks the bicentenary of the National Gallery, which opened to the public on May 10, 1824. It features perspectives from security guards, directors, visitors, celebrities including Claudia Winkleman, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Jacqueline Wilson, and Princess Eugenie, each sharing their personal connection to the museum and their favorite artwork. The museum's collection comprises over 2,300 works spanning the 13th to 20th centuries. A current exhibition, "Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers," runs until January 19, 2025. The National Gallery was founded in 1824 when the UK government purchased 38 paintings from banker John Julius Angerstein. Its early directors included Sir Charles Lock Eastlake. Since 2015, Italian Gabriele Finaldi has directed the museum at Trafalgar Square, overseeing renovations to rethink gallery spaces and collection displays. The film, produced by Phil Grabsky with Exhibition on Screen, is part of a two-year program to enhance accessibility, including "200 Creators," a project engaging 200 content creators from across the UK to narrate the gallery in Gen Z language.