Paintings from London's National Gallery to be shown at National Museum of Korea

A special exhibition of European paintings from the 15th to 20th centuries will open June 2 at the National Museum of Korea in collaboration with the National Gallery, London.

Titled "Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London," the upcoming exhibition will show a total of 52 renowned paintings from the London museum through Oct. 9.

The exhibition, which celebrates the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and the UK, is also a part of the National Gallery's Asia tour, scheduled to run through early 2024.

The Seoul leg of the touring exhibition takes place following the show's first leg at Shanghai Museum in China, which ended May 7.

The pieces cover a wide range of European works, from Renaissance art to Impressionist works. Some notable artists whose work will be presented at the museum in Seoul include Renaissance artists Botticelli, Raphael and Titian as well s Baroque masters Caravaggio, Poussin, Velazquez, Anthony van Dyck and Rembrandt. Works by Romantic painters Francisco Goya and Thomas Lawrence will be shown along with Impressionist works by Edouard Manet, Claude Monet and Pierre-August Renoir. Paintings by post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh will also be on display.

Founded in 1824, the National Gallery houses over 2,300 paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century.

The selection chosen for the special exhibition is representative of the National Gallery’s history, and includes some paintings that are rarely seen in Korea. The institution hopes to offer a concise history of Western art at the exhibitions in Asia.

Ticket sales begin Monday at 10 a.m. via multiple online ticketing sites, including Naver, Ticketlink and Interpark.

The exhibition costs 18,000 won for adults and 9,000 won for seniors aged 65 and older. For children and young adults, the admission ranges from 7,000 won to 15,000 won.

Fifty percent-off discounts will be offered for visits on the last Wednesday of the month during the exhibition period.

On-site ticket sales at the museum will begin June 2, the first day of the show.