Courtauld Gallery
What Visitors Say
We visited this gallery by chance – there were no tickets for a temporary exhibition, so we decided to see the permanent collection. And it was a happy coincidence. The gallery contains a very good, comprehensive collection from medieval art to the 20th century. It's well organized –you travel in time changing floors – and it is on a human scale, meaning you can see it in its entirety without getting overloaded. My favorite works here include: the tiny Virgin and Child attributed to Benozzo Gonzoli (15th century), the incredibly subtle Virgin and Child by Quinten Massys (early 16th century), Landscape with Flight into Egypt by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (16th century), and several paintings by Cézanne, Manet, and Renoir. It's truly a place to visit. We wondered how we hadn't come across it sooner. I highly recommend it.
Have visited the Courtauld Gallery many times as it is one of my favourite galleries in London, and this visit didn't disappoint.This time was to see the Seurat and the Sea Exhibition which was brilliant. Not too busy early afternoon on a Friday in February. Not only is the art fabulous, but the building is too. Well worth visiting if you are in the vicinity. The Exhibition was £20.
This gallery is an absolute gem for art lovers. The collection is beautifully curated, with a wide range of styles, colors, and techniques that truly inspire. Every piece is displayed thoughtfully, allowing you to appreciate the details and emotions behind each artwork. The atmosphere is calm, welcoming, and perfect for spending quality time exploring art. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and always happy to help or share insights. A truly memorable and enriching experience that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys creativity and artistic expression.
We visited this magnificent gallery, founded in 1932 by Samuel Courtauld, a member of a renowned family of art patrons. It's located in Somerset House, a historic building with stunning architecture, and occupies three floors. We especially loved the second floor, dedicated to the Renaissance; it was a delight. We'd love to return again to experience this magical atmosphere.
The Courtauld Gallery was… fine. The main gallery itself was alright but not mind-blowing. I paid £18 so I could see the special exhibition as well, and honestly, that extra money was not worth it. The special exhibition was very modern-art heavy and just not my thing at all. If you’re into abstract or conceptual art, you might enjoy it, but personally I felt like the £12 ticket would’ve been enough. Slight regret there.
Highlights
Manet’s Bar at the Folies-Bergère (1882)
A puzzle of mirrors and modern lifeThe barmaid Suzon meets your eye while a misbehaving mirror bends space behind her—Parisian spectacle distilled.
Impressionism rooms, upper floor
Van Gogh, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889)
After the crisis, painting as self-repairThick, directional strokes pull the face into focus against a Japanese print—discipline holding chaos at bay.
Impressionism rooms, upper floor
Degas, Two Dancers on a Stage
Movement studied like engineeringDegas freezes rehearsal into geometry—fans, tutus and stage flats make a clockwork of bodies.
Impressionism rooms, upper floor
Cézanne Still Lifes
Apples that rewire paintingTilted tabletops and shifting viewpoints show Cézanne trading camera-truth for structure and weight.
Impressionism rooms, upper floor
Medieval to 18th-Century Suite
Earlier art, newly luminousAfter the 2021 refit, gilded panels and Enlightenment portraits read clean and bright—perfect palate-cleansers between modern hits.
Lower floors, enfilade rooms
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
Samuel Courtauld made his fortune in rayon (artificial silk) and spent it like a patron from the Renaissance—seeding one of the UK’s greatest Impressionist collections in a single decade.
In Manet’s ‘Bar’, the Bass ale triangle is an early product logo cameo; the mirror’s ‘wrong’ reflection still fuels scholarly debates on perspective and intent.
Seurat’s ‘Young Woman Powdering Herself’ at the Courtauld hides a tiny painted self-portrait in a mirror—added, then later covered during revisions.
The gallery’s ‘Courtauld Connects’ makeover (completed 2021) re-opened long-closed rooms in Somerset House and re-hung the collection to emphasise sightlines and natural light.
