Buckingham Palace Doubles Art Display with Stunning New Gallery Makeover

This summer, visitors to Buckingham Palace will have the chance to see almost twice as many paintings in the Picture Gallery as before. The gallery, which is one of the State Rooms open to the public during the summer, now displays 120 paintings, up from just 63. The transformation took a lot of work, including 875 hours spent installing emerald-green silk wall coverings and new lighting to make the art look its best. Two staff members were seen carefully hanging The Tribuna of the Uffizi by Johan Zoffany, making sure it was perfectly placed among the other masterpieces.

The Picture Gallery was originally designed to show off King George IV's art collection. The famous architect John Nash helped turn Buckingham House into Buckingham Palace, and the gallery was a big part of that plan. Unfortunately, George IV died before the project was finished, so the first paintings were hung after his niece, Queen Victoria, became queen in 1837. Over the years, the gallery has been decorated in many different colors, such as golden yellow, lilac, crimson red, olive green, and coral-pink. Now, the emerald-green silk walls give the room a fresh and elegant look.

The gallery is not just for art lovers. The Royal Family uses it to host important guests, including heads of state, and for special celebrations. More than half a million people visit the Picture Gallery every year. Some of the highlights of the new display include The Tribuna of the Uffizi by Johan Zoffany, A Rough Dog by George Stubbs, which is believed to show George IV's dog, and a portrait of the musician Johann Christian Fischer by Thomas Gainsborough. There is also a new painting of King Charles III by Jonathan Yeo, created in 2023. Anna Reynolds, who is in charge of the King's pictures, said that this rehang is a rare and exciting chance to show more world-class paintings to the public. She hopes that as many people as possible will enjoy the new look of the Picture Gallery this summer. Tickets to visit the gallery are available through the Royal Collection Trust.