National Gallery renovation team finds hidden letter from donor criticising design

By Ben Flatman2024-08-28T08:43:00

Source: National Gallery

Time capsule discovery sheds light on the behind-the-scenes tensions during the Sainsbury Wing’s construction

A surprising discovery at the National Gallery has brought to light a decades-old critique by one of its key benefactors. Contractors renovating Venturi Scott Brown’s Sainsbury Wing uncovered a hidden letter from 1990, in which John Sainsbury expressed strong disapproval of aspects of the architectural design.

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