National Gallery Contractors Unearth Donor's 1990 Letter Slamming "Mistake" Columns

A "time capsule" has been discovered at London's National Gallery, buried deep within a column in the Sainsbury Wing's foyer. The letter, penned in 1990 by the wing's generous benefactor, John Sainsbury (Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover), reveals his strong disapproval of the architects' design decision to include two large, non-structural columns in the gallery's entrance hall.

Sainsbury's letter, written on Sainsbury's supermarket notepaper, has been deposited in the gallery's archives as a historical document. In the letter, he criticises the renowned American post-modernist architect, Robert Venturi, and his partner, Denise Scott Brown, for incorporating the columns, believing them to be an architectural blunder. "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," he wrote.

During the construction of the wing, Sainsbury seized the opportunity to discreetly place his letter inside a concrete column, carefully protected within a plastic folder. The letter remained hidden until last year when the foyer underwent a major reconfiguration, bringing Sainsbury's message to light.

Addressing "To those who find this note," Sainsbury expresses his clear disappointment with the columns, stating, "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."

John and Anya Sainsbury, presumably, never envisioned that the demolition of the Sainsbury Wing foyer would occur within their lifetimes. John, a prominent UK arts patron, sadly passed away in 2022 at the age of 94. His widow, Anya, a former ballerina, was present when his letter was unearthed. "I was so happy for John’s letter to be rediscovered after all these years," she remarked, "and I feel he would be relieved and delighted for the gallery’s new plans and the extra space they are creating."

The Sainsbury Wing, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991, was entirely funded by John Sainsbury and his two brothers, Simon (who died in 2006) and Timothy (a former Conservative minister, now aged 92). Their great-grandfather established the grocery shop that has since blossomed into the UK's second largest supermarket chain after Tesco.

Neil MacGregor, the National Gallery's director when the Sainsbury Wing was planned, shared his perspective with *The Art Newspaper*. "Venturi wanted the foyer to have the feel of a mighty crypt, leading upstairs to the galleries," he explained, "so it was a subsidiary space – the beginning of a journey, not a destination. John Sainsbury argued that sightlines should be as unencumbered as possible, thinking the extra columns would conceal the entrance to the lecture theatre and temporary exhibition galleries, confusing the visitor."

Ultimately, MacGregor concluded that the false columns were an acceptable feature. "Although there were drawbacks, Venturi had a coherent idea of the organic link between entrance hall, staircase and main galleries. I felt that, on balance, we should let the architect be the architect."

The exact amount of the Sainsbury family's initial donation has never been publicly disclosed, however, *The Art Newspaper

understands it was around £40 million (equivalent to £90 million today). John Sainsbury's decision to donate a substantial portion of this sum, without insisting on the removal of the columns, speaks volumes of his generosity.

The Sainsbury family has been the driving force behind an £85 million refurbishment project for the Sainsbury Wing and adjacent areas of the National Gallery's main building. The project, designed by architect Annabelle Selldorf, aims to transform the Sainsbury Wing foyer into a more welcoming and spacious area, capable of accommodating double the number of visitors anticipated in the 1980s.

Central to this ambitious project was the removal of the two non-structural columns. This decision sparked controversy, with the Twentieth Century Society arguing against their demolition, stating that they "contribute to the sense of weight and the lobby’s function as an anticipatory space". However, the National Gallery countered this view, highlighting the columns' obstruction of sightlines and accessibility to key areas like the lecture theatre and temporary exhibition galleries.

Westminster City Council ultimately granted planning permission for the project, and the columns were demolished last year. Venturi passed away in 2018, while his partner, Scott Brown, has publicly expressed her disapproval of the redesign.

The Sainsbury family remains the most significant financial contributor to the project. Although the National Gallery has not released specific figures, the Linbury Trust (founded by John and Anya) and the Headley Trust (established by Timothy and his wife Susan) have each pledged £5 million. Their combined £10 million contribution represents one of the largest donations to a UK museum in recent years.

While the construction process has taken longer than initially anticipated, the newly refurbished Sainsbury Wing is now scheduled to reopen in May 2024. Visitors will finally be able to experience the architectural transformation firsthand and form their own opinions on this enduring controversy.