Today...
April 25 2012

Picture: Samuel Johnson Birthplace Trust
...sorry for the lack of AHN (as if news of the Double Dip* wasn't bad enough). I was at the Oil Painting Expert Network conference at the National Gallery. It was a good day, about which more anon. In the meantime, here's another little discovery from the Public Catalogue Foundation, which I mentioned in my talk. The portrait belongs to the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Trust, and shows Johnson's friend, Dr John Taylor. It is listed as 'attributed to John Opie', but is a good example of a 1760s Joseph Wright of Derby. It appears to be in excellent condition. Fortunately, the attribution to Wright found favour today at the conference. A 'Dr John Taylor' also appears in Wright's correspondence.
* official - the longest downturn in British history.