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Unmodernised Property London
The British government established the National Gallery in 1824 with the purchase of 38 paintings, the collection of John Julius Angerstein, a London banker. This collection included a number of important pieces by Italian, English, Dutch and Flemish artists. In 1826 Sir George Beaumont (1753-1827) gave his collection of paintings to the British nation. At first, the National Gallery had no purpose-built home and the paintings were shown at Angerstein's London home in Pall Mall, a property which was far too small for such a large number of important paintings.
In 1831 Parliament made plans for a permanent gallery to house the collection. After considerable debate about where the gallery should be located a suitably impressive edifice was constructed in Trafalgar Square in the very heart of London. The collection moved into its permanent home in 1838. The new building also housed the Royal Academy of Arts until it moved to Piccadilly in 1868.