Favourite European Art Galleries

The Courtauld Institute Gallery, Somerset House, London, UK

A wonderful, small gallery with an exceptional collection. Cézanne, Manet, Degas, Seurat, Monet are all represented here.

Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany

Famous for der Blaue Reuter group. My favourite painting, Jawlensky und Werefkin by Gabrielle Münter, is my pilgrimage piece whenever in Munich.

National Gallery, London, UK

One of the world’s greatest collections of Art. Free to visit for two minutes or two hours.

Dulwich Picture Gallery, Dulwich, London

A favourite destination for excellent special exhibitions, the permanent collection is also varied and interesting.

Louvre, Paris, France

A gallery for a lifetime! Capacious rooms to accommodate monumental works such as Delacroix’s Liberty leading the people and Géricault’s Raft of the Medusa.

Galleria Borghese, Rome, Italy

Caravaggios and much more. The astoundingly fine Bernini statues are highlights.

Neue Pinakothek, Munich, Germany


Spacious gallery with a wide-ranging collection and some real stars. Always good to see the portrait of Goethe a reproduction of which hangs in my study.

Centrale Montemartini, Rome, Italy

Essentially an overspill from the Capitoline museum. The setting of an old power station gives it an added dimension. The combination of ancient and industrial is a delight.

The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Superb museum and gallery with a pleasing mixture of old and refurbished space. Hosts great special exhibitions too. Two old favourites are Uccello’s The Hunt in the Forest and Piero Di Cosimo’s The Forest Fire.

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Stunning conversion of a former train station, this gallery is a must for Impressionist and 19th-century painting. A masterpiece at every turn.