Builders remodeling an entrance hall in the National Gallery in London were left surprised when they knocked down an incorrect column and found a letter concealed within, created greater than thirty years earlier. Eerily, the letter, created by Lord John Sainsbury in 1990, had actually forecasted that the framework would certainly be ruined – and said thanks to the building contractors for doing it.
Lord Sainsbury (Preston Candover), chairman of the grocery store chain for 23 years, left the pythonic letter after a disagreement over the supreme layout of the National Gallery’s Sainsbury wing. This expansion of the London gallery was completely moneyed by John and his 2 bros, Simon and Timothy, however the life peer differed with postmodern designer Robert Venturi’s choice to place 2 incorrect columns right into the wing’s entrance hall.
During a 2023 remodelling of the wing, the gallery determined to open the area and get rid of these non-load-bearing columns. A choice that Lord Sainsbury, that passed away in 2022 at the age of 94, stated he was “absolutely delighted” by.
The letter, created and authorized by Lord Sainsbury in July 1990 prior to being concealed inside the incorrect column, has actually currently been protected in the National Gallery’s archives. Stamped with a Sainsbury’s letterhead, the pythonic message begins: “ TO THOSE THAT LOCATE THIS KEEP IN MIND.“
The previous grocery store principal’s letter was safeguarded by a plastic envelope prior to being framed in the columns, which he referred to as “unnecessary” and something the bros would certainly “live to regret.” The wing was opened up by Queen Elizabeth II much less than a year later on in 1991.
It proceeded: “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.”
The Sainsbury’s brothers grew their enormous wealth, which they used to donate to cultural and political causes throughout their lives, through the supermarket business they inherited from their great-grandfather, who opened the first shop on Drury Lane in 1869. During John’s time at the helm, the company’s value ballooned from £117 million to £8 billion, after floating the company on the London Stock Exchange, while the family retained overall control.
Neil MacGregor, the National Gallery’s director during the wing’s construction, explained to the Art Newspaper why he agreed with the installation of the foyer’s false columns at the time. He said: “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.” But simply 3 years later on, the prominent nationwide art area determined to take on an ₤ 85m remodelling job – component of which was to tear down both of the incorrect columns.
Lord John’s widow Anya stated: “I was so happy for John’s letter to be rediscovered after all these years, and I feel he would be relieved and delighted for the gallery’s new plans and the extra space they are creating.”
