London is home to one of the world’s greatest collections of art. Across its galleries, museums and historic houses are thousands of remarkable paintings, sculptures and drawings spanning more than seven centuries of artistic achievement. Whether you’re fascinated by Renaissance masterpieces, Impressionist landscapes, modern sculpture or contemporary installations, London offers an unrivalled opportunity to experience many of the greatest works of art ever created.
Gallery.London has been created to help you discover these masterpieces and, more importantly, where to find them. Our artwork guides introduce the stories behind some of the world’s most celebrated works of art, explain why they remain important today and tell you exactly which London gallery or museum they are displayed in. Whether you’re planning your first visit to the capital or returning to explore its collections in greater depth, our guides are designed to help you make the most of every visit.
Each artwork page includes an introduction to the artist, the history of the artwork, its artistic significance, where it can be found in London and practical visitor information to help you locate it within the collection.
⭐ 10 Iconic Artworks to See in London
If you’re only visiting a handful of galleries, these are ten of the most famous and influential artworks on public display in London. Together they represent a journey through the history of European art and provide an excellent introduction to the capital’s remarkable collections.
- The Arnolfini Portrait – Jan van Eyck (National Gallery)
- Bacchus and Ariadne – Titian (National Gallery)
- The Ambassadors – Hans Holbein the Younger (National Gallery)
- The Rokeby Venus – Diego Velázquez (National Gallery)
- The Fighting Temeraire – J.M.W. Turner (National Gallery)
- The Hay Wain – John Constable (National Gallery)
- Sunflowers – Vincent van Gogh (National Gallery)
- Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear – Vincent van Gogh (Courtauld Gallery)
- The Umbrellas – Pierre-Auguste Renoir (National Gallery)
- Ophelia – Sir John Everett Millais (Tate Britain)
More Iconic Artworks in London’s Galleries
London’s collections extend far beyond these ten masterpieces. The artworks below are grouped by artistic movement, making it easy to explore the development of Western art while discovering where each work can be seen.
Renaissance
- The Wilton Diptych – National Gallery
- The Virgin of the Rocks – Leonardo da Vinci (National Gallery)
- The Madonna of the Pinks – Raphael (National Gallery)
- The Entombment – Michelangelo (National Gallery)
- The Baptism of Christ – Piero della Francesca (National Gallery)
Baroque
- The Supper at Emmaus – Caravaggio (National Gallery)
- Samson and Delilah – Peter Paul Rubens (National Gallery)
- The Water-Seller of Seville – Diego Velázquez (Apsley House)
- A Young Woman Standing at a Virginal – Johannes Vermeer (National Gallery)
- Self Portrait at the Age of 34 – Rembrandt (National Gallery)
British Masters
- Rain, Steam and Speed – J.M.W. Turner (National Gallery)
- Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows – John Constable (Tate Britain)
- Whistlejacket – George Stubbs (National Gallery)
- Marriage A-la-Mode – William Hogarth (National Gallery)
- Mrs Siddons as the Tragic Muse – Sir Joshua Reynolds (Dulwich Picture Gallery)
Impressionism
- The Boulevard Montmartre at Night – Camille Pissarro (National Gallery)
- The Beach at Trouville – Claude Monet (National Gallery)
- Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando – Edgar Degas (National Gallery)
- The Umbrellas – Pierre-Auguste Renoir (National Gallery)
Post-Impressionism
- Sunflowers – Vincent van Gogh (National Gallery)
- Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear – Vincent van Gogh (Courtauld Gallery)
- Nevermore – Paul Gauguin (Courtauld Gallery)
- The Card Players – Paul Cézanne (Courtauld Gallery)
Modern & Contemporary Art
- Weeping Woman – Pablo Picasso (Tate Modern)
- The Snail – Henri Matisse (Tate Modern)
- Swinging – Wassily Kandinsky (Tate Modern)
- Seagram Murals – Mark Rothko (Tate Modern)
- Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion – Francis Bacon (Tate Britain)
Planning Your Visit
One of the greatest advantages of London’s art scene is that many of its finest collections are located within walking distance of one another. A single day can include Renaissance masterpieces at the National Gallery, British landscapes at Tate Britain, contemporary installations at Tate Modern and world-class temporary exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts.
Gallery.London helps you plan your visit by showing where each artwork is displayed, highlighting the most important works in every gallery and suggesting related artists and collections to explore nearby. Whether you have an hour, a day or an entire weekend, our guides help you experience London’s remarkable artistic heritage with confidence.
Why These Artworks Matter
The artworks featured throughout Gallery.London are more than simply beautiful paintings and sculptures. They tell stories of history, religion, mythology, politics, science and everyday life. They reflect changing artistic styles, cultural movements and the lives of the people who created them.
Understanding the story behind a masterpiece often transforms the experience of seeing it in person. A painting becomes more than an image on a wall—it becomes a window into another time, another culture or another way of seeing the world.
Discover More with Gallery.London
Every artwork tells a story. Some transformed the course of art history, others captured defining moments in history, while many continue to inspire millions of visitors every year. Gallery.London brings together London’s greatest masterpieces in one carefully organised resource, helping you discover the artists who created them, the galleries that display them and the fascinating stories behind each work.
Whether you’re searching for a single painting, exploring the work of a favourite artist or planning a tour of London’s greatest museums, our artwork guides are designed to help you discover more, understand more and experience one of the world’s finest art collections.