A Celebration of Art and Architecture

The completion of the Sainsbury Wing by the American architects Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown, marks the end of a lengthy architectural debate that has excited interest from both the Prince of Wales and the public. This book, by architectural historian and critic Colin Amery, is the authorized account of the story of this building, which has been designed to house the Early Renaissance Collection of the National Gallery. In it Amery describes the evolution of the design, placing it in the context of the architectural history of the National Gallery. He includes a full visual account of the new buildings, an updated set of plans and architects' drawings, a list of consultants and a technical appendix. He covers new ideas about the lighting and display of pictures and the technical qualities of the controlled environment suitable for the preservation of delicate works of art.