A surprise message emerged this week during demolition work at London’s National Gallery, shedding light on a past disagreement about the building’s design. Workers discovered a note tucked away within a column, written in the 1990s by John Sainsbury, a prominent businessman and donor who funded the construction of the Sainsbury Wing.
Sainsbury, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 94, was critical of two decorative columns in the wing’s foyer, finding them aesthetically displeasing and structurally unnecessary. He penned a letter expressing his dissatisfaction and hid it inside one of the columns during construction.
The note, unearthed in 2023, reads: “To those who find this note. If you have found this note you must be engaged in demolishing one of the false columns that have been placed in the foyer of the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery. I believe that the false columns are a mistake of the architect and that we would live to regret our accepting this detail of his design. Let it be known that one of the donors of this building is absolutely delighted that your generation has decided to dispense with the unnecessary columns.”
Sainsbury’s widow, Anya Linden, expressed relief that the note was rediscovered, believing her husband would be pleased with the removal of the columns and the additional space it creates for the gallery. The note, preserved in the gallery’s archives, offers a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes conflicts that can arise during architectural projects.
The Sainsbury Wing, designed by American architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, was added to the National Gallery in 1991. The addition was a major expansion for the gallery, providing much-needed space for its extensive collection of European art from the 13th to 19th centuries. The discovery of Sainsbury’s note, though perhaps intended as a private sentiment, adds an intriguing layer to the story of the gallery’s evolution, showcasing the diverse perspectives that shape architectural choices and their impact on cultural spaces.
