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News, articles and stories from the V&A

The National Art Library

The National Art Library section brings you news about exciting new service developments, throws a spotlight on our collections, displays and research projects and provides information about electronic resources with ‘tips and wrinkles’ for making the most of them. The National Art Library (NAL) is a reference library, open to all visitors. The collection covers the fine and decorative arts, design and art history and contains books, periodicals, auction sale catalogues, exhibition catalogues, electronic resources and other formats of material. Amongst the treasures are artists’ books, illustrated books, fine bindings and rare and unique manuscripts.

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The National Art Library

Figure Training

“From the earliest periods of the world’s history down to the present day it has been found necessary to employ systems of restraint and correction calculated to adapt the...

The National Art Library

National Art Library Christmas Holiday Opening Times

The National Art Library is open as usual today (Tuesday 23rd) from 10.00 to 17.30. After that, we close for a Christmas break until Tuesday 30th December when...

Every Lady Her Own Drawing Master

One of the main pleasures of taking up a hobby is surely acquiring all the necessary equipment, preferably new, with everything matching and on a professional scale. Women taking...

The National Art Library

Your Affectionate Father John Constable

In 1828 John Constable found himself a widower with seven young children. Apart from his own sorrow at the death of his beloved wife Maria, a blow from which he never really...

The National Art Library

Cocktails with Boris

When the mosaic floors at the National Gallery designed by Boris Anrep were completed in 1952 there was much excitement and extensive press coverage. A formal gathering at the...

The National Art Library

Tales from the Crypt

Beautiful, historic library interiors also mean historic library stores, and occasionally book storage areas will need some additional care and attention to ensure they continue...

The National Art Library

I’m Sure I’ve Seen that Library Before…

Those of you who have used the National Art Library’s reading rooms, or who may even be sitting in them as you read this, will not have failed to notice how beautiful they...

The National Art Library

Rose Frain’s installation This Time in History, What Escapes (2014-1914)

This Time in History is my overall, continuing art project, so when Elizabeth James, Senior Librarian at the V&A National Art Library invited me to create a small installation...

News and Updates

V&A Illustration Awards Open for Submissions

We are pleased to announce that the online entry system for the 2015 V&A Illustration Awards is now open. The Awards have been running since 1972 and aim to celebrate the best...

The National Art Library

How to dress like a lady

‘How to dress on £15 a year as a lady by a lady’ was published by Frederick Warne in 1873. It was one of series of pocket sized “Useful Books” and cost a shilling....

The National Art Library

The results are in…

We would like to thank all of the hundreds of people who completed the National Art Library’s recent user satisfaction survey. Each year there are around 35,000...

The National Art Library

A Voyage to Egypt

What excitement there must have been when the Reverend Christopher Smyth and his wife Clementina left the quiet parish of Woodford, Northamptonshire for an epic journey to Egypt...

Photograph of Ian Fleming

Ian Fleming : Bibliophile

The National Art Library

A Poppy for Claud

When artist and illustrator Claud Lovat Fraser enlisted in the army in 1914 he had already established himself as a young man with a fine career ahead of him. After a year at...

News and Updates

V&A Illustration Awards 2014 Winner Announced

Last night saw the presentation of the 2014 V&A Illustration Awards, and we are pleased to announce that Helen Musselwhite was chosen as our overall winner. Helens’ winning...

News and Updates

V&A Illustration Awards 2014 Shortlist Announced

We are very excited to announce the 2014 shortlist for our annual V&A Illustration Awards. This year our judges included two Art Directors, Gary Cochran from the Telegraph and...

The National Art Library

Sharing Stories for Mother’s Day

Mother’s day is this weekend; a time for family gatherings, and maybe for sharing old favourite stories that have been passed down between generations. It brings to mind a book...

The National Art Library

Getting to Know You: National Art Library Reader Survey

The National Art Library is freely available to anyone who wants to use its resources: other than the need to show some identification, all are welcome without restriction....

The National Art Library

Pearls: Piety, Poetry and Pre-Raphaelites – Part Three

In my previous posts I looked at how the medieval poem ‘Pearl’ was understood by the medieval mind and also how it was rediscovered and represented in the 19th century. In the...

The National Art Library

Pearls: Piety, Poetry and Pre-Raphaelites – Part Two

In my first blog I looked at what a contemporaneous audience would understand in the medieval poem Pearl. Despite its beauty and intricacy the poem did not enjoy the fame of those...