The National Gallery in London recently made a surprising discovery during renovations. Workers demolished two non-load-bearing columns and found a plastic folder hidden inside the concrete. Inside the folder was a letter addressed “to those who find this note.” The letter was written by John Sainsbury, a member of the British supermarket dynasty, who, along with his brothers, funded a wing of the National Gallery in 1990.
In the letter, Sainsbury expressed his disapproval of the columns that were part of the design for the Sainsbury Wing. He believed that the columns were a mistake by the architect and that future generations would regret their inclusion. The letter remained hidden for over three decades until it was discovered in 2023 during the renovations.
The Sainsbury Wing’s design has always been controversial. When the original plans were released in the 1980s, they were criticized by Prince Charles as a “monstrous carbuncle.” The plans were revised, and American architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown were brought in to redesign the wing. However, Sainsbury was not entirely happy with their work, particularly the non-load-bearing pillars in the ground-floor foyer.
The architects had designed the foyer to resemble a church crypt, with the columns directing visitors through the space towards the staircase. Sainsbury, on the other hand, saw the columns as unnecessary architectural affectations that hindered the efficient use of space. Despite the disagreement, a compromise was reached, and Sainsbury’s letter was secretly placed inside the columns to be discovered if they were ever demolished.
In 2022, the gallery began a renovation project to accommodate larger crowds, leading to the demolition of the columns and the discovery of Sainsbury’s letter. Sainsbury passed away before the letter was found, but his widow, Anya, expressed happiness that the letter had been rediscovered. The note will now be preserved in the gallery’s archives as a piece of its history.
The story of John Sainsbury’s hidden letter adds an intriguing chapter to the history of the National Gallery. It highlights the tensions between art, architecture, and patronage, as well as the delicate balance between preserving the past and embracing change in cultural institutions. The rediscovery of the letter serves as a reminder of the complexities and nuances involved in the creation and preservation of art and architecture.
