National Gallery boss hopes strike to end 'soon'

Gabriele Finaldi took over at the National Gallery in August

The new head of the National Gallery says he hopes ongoing strike action over privatisation will end soon.

Gabriele Finaldi, who took up the post of director last month, told the BBC his main priority was "to get the gallery functioning normally".

He was speaking as the National Gallery unveiled its 2016 programme, which includes major exhibitions on Delacroix and Caravaggio.

The staff dispute has seen daily picket lines outside the London institution.

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At its centre is the decision to "out-source" visitor services to external company, Securitas, as part of an "ongoing modernisation programme". The contract is due to begin in November.

Convulsionists of Tangier, Eugene Delacroix, 1837-8

In August, about 200 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union began an indefinite strike, which has led to "limited public access" to some areas of gallery.

"I'm very hopeful that the strikes will come to an end quite quickly," Finaldi said at his first press conference on Tuesday. "I think that would be good for the public and our staff and for the gallery's image too. Above all we want to return to our normal operation."

He added: "A good number of galleries have been shut for a while but we have tried very hard to keep as many galleries open as possible. Our visitor numbers haven't gone down very significantly."

A PCS union spokesman said talks with the National Gallery had made "good progress".

"We are very hopeful of a resolution shortly," he added.

Finaldi, formerly deputy director at the Prado museum in Madrid, took over from Nicholas Penny, who announced his retirement last year. He admitted that he still had "boxes I haven't unpacked" since he took up the post on 17 August.

Asked about expected cuts to its government grant, he said the gallery was fully committed to maintaining free entry. "It is in the DNA of of the National Gallery - it's what the gallery is admired and loved for."

In 2014, visitor figures rose 6% to 6.4 million, making the National Gallery the UK's second most visited attraction after the British Museum.

Detail from Rembrandt's Self Portrait at the age of 63, which is going on tour

The gallery is currently preparing for the launch of its Goya: The Portraits exhibition which opens on 7 October.

Among the other exhibitions announced for 2016-17 are:

• Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art (17 Feb - 22 May 2016) which will feature a number of paintings by the French artist from the Minneapolis Institute of Art where the show will open first.

• Painters' Paintings (22 June - 4 September) will "shed new light" on works or art and the painters who owned them, including Degas, Matisse, Van Dyck and Freud.

• Beyond Caravaggio (12 October 2016 - 15 January 2017) is billed as the first major exhibition in the UK to explore the influence of Caravaggio on the art of his contemporaries and followers.

• Rembrandt's Self Portrait at the age of 63 is going on tour the Ulster Museum in Belfast, Abbot Hall in Kendal, Cumbria, and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.