Gettys 'give £10m' to National Gallery

Extensive refurbishments are planned for The National Gallery

Mark Getty and his uncle Gordon have made a £10m donation to the National Gallery, according to reports.

Mark is the son of Sir John Paul Getty, grandson of John Paul Getty I and heir to one of the largest oil fortunes in the world.

The £10m is earmarked for the National Gallery's remodelling of the main public areas, according to the Guardian and the Independent.

New cafes, cloakrooms and street level entrances are reportedly to be built in anticipation of the pedestrianisation of Trafalgar Square.

Museum trustees have been promised by London mayor Ken Livingstone that the pedestrianisation will take place next year, National Gallery director Neil MacGregor, told the Independent.

£50m gift

Artist's impression of the pedestrianised Trafalgar Square, designed by Norman Foster

Mark's father, Sir John Paul Getty, made an UK citizen in 1985, is the largest single donor to the National Gallery.

His £50m gift in 1985 enabled the National Gallery to buy pictures to put its collection on a par with that of his father's foundation.

He is believed to have given about £120m in donations to UK institutions, including £20m to the British Film Institute.

By contrast, the latest reported Getty donation is fairly modest. However, despite donations totaling some £60m, the name Getty does not currently appear anywhere in the gallery.

A dedication is now planned, said the Independent. MacGregor said the final form and position of the dedication had not been decided, "but the word Getty is likely to figure."

The Sainsbury brothers donated £35m to build the Sainsbury Wing extension which was named after them.

The Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery

An estimated 25 million people have visited the wing since it was unveiled. The Sainsbury brothers - Jon, Simon and Timothy - recently made further donations to enable necessary refurbishments.

Caution

Peter Scott, chairman of trustees, admitted he was glad that the National Gallery has so many wealthy donors, but he cautioned against over-reliance on the private sector.

The gallery's government grant was no longer sufficient to cover daily maintenance, he told the Guardian.

Mark Getty is co-founder and director of Seattle-based Getty Images, which employs 2,400 people, and incorporates several smaller companies. It is one of the largest commercial image archives in the world.

Sir Paul's half brother Gordon is also known for his philanthopism, having made several donations including £1m to London's Globe theatre.

The Getty Centre in Los Angeles took 15 years to build

Aside from its interest in The National Gallery, the Getty family also has a museum and gallery to call its own. The Getty Centre opened in 1997 in Los Angeles, an arts complex which took 15 years to build.

The complex combines the J Paul Getty Museum, previously in Malibu, with various institutes dedicated to art conservation, education, research and technological information, a library, and more than 125 acres of landscaped gardens.

The Getty collection is ranked among one of the best in the world.