National Gallery refuses to politicise paintings in collection redisplay
The National Gallery has refused to politicise its paintings and will instead 'celebrate the European tradition'.
Bosses refused to make paintings 'political' with their recent redisplay of the collection, in a move out of step with many British arts institutions.
Museums and galleries have been accused of 'going woke' by reinterpreting their cultural treasures in terms of how they relate to slavery, colonialism, and racism.
Rehangs of famous collections, including that of Tate Britain, have been used as opportunities to add new labels alerting visitors to historic injustices, which can sometimes be tangential.
John Constable's beloved images of English rural life have even been linked in one museum to 'dark, nationalist' beliefs.
The National Gallery has now completed the redisplay and relabelling of its entire collection, but has deliberately refused to politicise its artworks.
Gallery director Sir Gabriele Finaldi told The Telegraph: 'Fundamentally, it is a celebration of the collection, of painters, and of the great European tradition.
'In some sense, it's a bit old fashioned.'
Sir Gabriele, who has led the National Gallery since 2015, added: 'We think of it as an aesthetic experience, which then can become an educational experience, and a social experience. Not necessarily a political experience.'
Instead, the total rehang of the collection aims to celebrate 'some of the great figures of the canon'.
The rehang of all the gallery's displayed paintings, aside from a handful of works by Turner and Claude, marks the completion of a two-year project.
Central to this was the £85 million remodelling of the Sainsbury Wing of the gallery, intended to make the space into a brighter, more welcoming main entrance to the attraction.
The gallery's apolitical approach stands in contrast to recent rehangs of major British collections.
In 2023, Tate Britain removed some innocuous images, while displaying more politically contentious works, and those linked to slavery and colonialism.
New labelling then told the public of the evils of slavery and empire defences in the paintings, as well as issues including prejudice against travellers, and economic hardship for the labouring classes.
Curators also pointed out in new labelling that Constable's paintings show an idealised England that ignores the suffering of the rural poor.
The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge followed a similar theme.
In 2024, the museum reordered into themed categories, in an 'inclusive' shake-up, with artwork grouped into categories including Men Looking at Women, Identity, Migration and Movement.
In the Nature gallery, containing works by Constable and Gainsborough, it was noted that bucolic landscapes had a 'darker side' and could evoke 'nationalist feeling'
The National Gallery, which cares for Constable's great 1821 work, The Hay Wain, has not included any political observations in its labelling for the painting.
Information presented to visitors across the gallery instead places the focus on artistic trends and the art-historical significance of the painters represented.
Sir Gabriele said he wanted to ensure labels helped visitors understand art and art history, adding: 'Artists come to the National Gallery and say, 'This is where I learn, this is a tonic for me'.'
Marking the revamp, Arts Minister Chris Bryant said: 'The National Gallery is one of the best loved members of our family of national Museums.
'It's a delight to see any family member get a makeover, and this is no exception. And having seen some of the rehang, I know everybody will be amazed.'
The revamped wing includes a new coffee bar, restaurant, and high-definition screens which show artworks in close up, revealing details that are barely viable to the naked eye. Some ceilings have also been removed to provide more space and light.
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