Previous Posts: April 2024

Always regarded as a youthful masterpiece by Titian and generally dated circa 1510, there are however some inevitable variations on the precise dating. In his 2012 exhibition at the National Gallery in London: Titian, A fresh look at nature, Antonio Mazzotta, who dates the picture to circa 1508-9, observed that the monumental figure of the Virgin ‘prefigures other Titian heroines’ from the period, notably that of Judith as Justice in the detached fresco fragment from the Merceria entrance to the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, circa 1508 (Venice, Ca d’Oro), a key early commission, and that of the Magdalen in the artist’s slightly later Noli me Tangere, 1511-12 (London, National Gallery).

The roll call of illustrious provenance for this painting begins with it being first documented in the collection of the Venetian merchant, Bartolomeo della Nave (1571/79-1632), described in 1629 as a ‘mercante da droghe’, whose activities focused on the spice trade. Della Nave's inventory reveals an astonishing collection that is unlikely to have been equalled in Venice during his day and included no fewer than fifteen works by Titian, notably including The Gypsy Madonna of circa 1511; his Violante of circa 1510-15; the Nymph and Shepherd of circa 1570 (all in Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum); and the artist’s mature masterpiece of 1565-76, The Death of Actaeon, now in the National Gallery, London. In 1636, the Longleat picture was valued at £200 in della Naves's inventory, twice the amount for the Death of Actaeon, suggesting Titian's early works were more highly prized than their later counterparts.

Through Bartolomeo’s brother, Andrea della Nave, and Basil Feilding, 2nd Earl of Denbigh, King Charles I’s ambassador to Venice, the majority of the collection was acquired en bloc by the latter’s brother-in-law, James, 1st Duke of Hamilton and sent to England. Following Hamilton’s execution by parliament in 1649, the collection was sold to Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1647-1656. The picture appears in Teniers’ copper panel depicting The Archduke Leopold Wilhelm in his Picture Gallery in Brussels (Madrid, Museo del Prado), where it is shown hanging alongside other works by Titian acquired from della Nave’s collection, among which are the Nymph and Shepherd, Violante, and his Christ and the Woman taken in Adultery, circa 1511 (Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum), an unfinished panel that the young Anthony van Dyck had made a sketch of during his visit to see the Venetian merchant’s collection in 1622.

The Longleat picture remained in the Imperial collection – passing by descent from Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (1685-1740), Vienna, to Maria Theresa (1717-1780), Holy Roman Empress, Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, to Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (1741-1790) – and was transferred to the Belvedere Palace in Vienna by 1781, where it was looted by French troops in 1809 for the Musée Napoléon. It was subsequently owned by Hugh Andrew Johnstone Munro of Novar (1797-1864), a Scottish landowner, amateur artist and one of the most important patrons of Turner. Munro formed a celebrated collection that included Rembrandt’s Lucretia (Washington, National Gallery of Art), Veronese’s Vision of St. Helena (London, National Gallery), and at least ten pictures by Bonington, of which the finest was A fishmarket near Boulogne (New Haven, Yale Centre for British Art).

Responsible for performing a variety of duties and project assignments primarily related to curatorial functions and as assigned by curatorial staff. Supervises Manton Study Center for Works on Paper. This is a one-year project position, with the possibility of an extension for a second year.

Physical Demands:
Ability to sit at a desk/workstation and use a computer for prolonged periods of time.
Ability to stand for up to four hours.
Ability to physically move and handle artwork, which requires being able to lift up to 30 pounds regularly.

Work Environment:
Work will be performed in an office environment and museum spaces. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

Anne Stewart, Senior Curator of Art at National Museums NI, expressed the significance of the upcoming occasion and said:

“The connection between the two Caravaggio paintings is remarkable. Both were painted for the same patron, Ciriaco Mattei, and originally displayed in the same family palace in Rome. Reuniting Caravaggio’s The Supper at Emmaus and The Taking of Christ is a highly ambitious and unusual event. Both paintings very rarely travel and they have hardly ever been seen together since the first quarter of the 17th century.

“We are truly honoured and grateful to the National Gallery, the National Gallery of Ireland and the Jesuit Community in Dublin, for allowing us the opportunity to bring together two rare artworks and provide our audiences and the public with a rare chance to access these masterpieces.”

With more than 130 works of art on display, the exhibition comprises sculpture, metalwork, jewellery, glass, textiles, books, manuscripts, paintings, works on paper and exotica, many of which have never previously been shown in Paris. 

This includes works by Antico, Lucas Cranach the Younger, François Clouet, Vittore Crivelli, Donatello, Nicholas Hilliard, Hans Holbein the Younger and Leonardo da Vinci, together with treasures and objets d'art created for noble and royal patrons by many of the most accomplished artists of the period.

The focus of this project is on identifying, researching and analysing the provenance, changing status and visibility of about 500 books of prints in the British Library’s collection, using an 1812 unpublished finding list as a starting point.

This project will be jointly supervised by Kate Retford at Birkbeck (Professor of History of Art, School of Historical Studies) and Felicity Myrone at the British Library (Lead Curator, Western Prints and Drawings). The student will spend time with both Birkbeck and the British Library and will become part of the wider cohort of AHRC CDP funded PhD students across the UK.  

Originally acquired from the artist by Charles Hilditch Rickards (1812-1886), the Manchester merchant, philanthropist and collector who was influential in the development of the artist’s career, the painting was subsequently owned by Thomas Henry Ismay (1817-1899), founder of the famous White Star Line, and Kerrison Preston (1884-1974), whose collection of 19th century art also included Choosing (1864) – Watts’s much-admired portrait of his first wife, Ellen Terry.

Now,120 years since the Gallery first opened its doors on 1 April 1904, visitors to Watts Gallery can see how G F Watts chose to portray himself as this critical point in his career. And, displayed alongside earlier and later self-portraits, the painting will further understanding about the development of self-identity across the course of a long life and career.

The School of Histories and Humanities at Trinity College Dublin seeks to appoint an Associate Professor in the History of Renaissance Art, based in the Department of History of Art and Architecture. Candidates can have expertise in any area of Renaissance art and must demonstrate an ability to incorporate collections in Ireland in their teaching and research. It is also desirable that candidates should have experience of working with museum collections.

The primary purpose of this post is to contribute to teaching and research in history of art and to administrative activities in the Department and School. The successful applicant will have a proven record of research and publication in the History of Renaissance Art commensurate to the role and will be expected to contribute to both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in this field and to interdisciplinary curricular teaching, supervision, and mentoring.

“I haven’t succeeded in seeing the Wilkie paintings”, Mr Kidson said. “The Tate says, ‘You can go on a Tuesday morning for one hour and you’re limited to looking at five works’. If the next visit is full up, you have to wait until there’s a free spot. That’s usually about six or seven weeks ahead.

“The last time I tried they said they can make three of these works available, but a further one was not allowed to be seen at all. They didn’t say why not. I originally approached them to see these Wilkies in late November. I returned the application form on Dec 1 and in response to that was offered Feb 3. ‘The public own these works’

“That’s waiting months. I took that spot and then found I couldn’t attend for personal reasons. They said, the next available date is mid-April, but that was too late for my deadlines.”

He added: “The situation is ridiculous because the public own these works. The Tate is playing God with them.”

We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed colleague with experience or potential to produce exceptional teaching and research in the field of Pre-Modern art history. In particular we require a colleague who will help us maintain and extend our current teaching and research partnerships with national collections in Edinburgh which are world-leaders in this area. You will join a growing team of internationally recognised art historians to develop and teach courses in your research area and contribute to team-teaching across all levels of our curriculum, from undergraduate to doctoral level. You will have demonstrable capability and/or plans to deliver significant research outputs, build partnerships with local, national and international organisations, and attract external research funding. You will be ambitious for your field and its potential to change existing or introduce new narratives. 

Preliminary research has revealed that the National Gallery of Ireland (Dublin) owns a painting that can be linked to The Bull [Pictured on the left side in the photo above]. Paintings Conservator Jolijn Schilder of the Mauritshuis discovered that Potter once made a large painting (approx. 2.10 m x 1.70 m) depicting The Abduction of Europa. It turns out that the oval painting Head of a White Bull was once part of this larger painting -- much of which has been lost, leaving only this fragment. The two bulls are different colours, but the heads are depicted in a very similar way. As a result, the ‘Irish’ bull will be an invaluable research companion for the ‘Dutch’ bull. The art historical and technical research into the Head of the White Bull is a collaborative project between the National Gallery of Ireland and the Mauritshuis. Both bulls will be on view during the technical examination at the Mauritshuis between March and May 2024.

According to UK-based consultant and adviser to art trade associations Ivan Macquisten, the law “deems an imported item illicit, unless proven otherwise”.

He adds that this means a “reversal of the burden of proof”, effectively scrapping common property law that assumes the owner’s good faith.

The SNA, which lobbies on behalf of around 300 French antique and art dealers, said that the regulation will also make it difficult for owners to donate cultural objects – like fossils, antiquities, texts and art – to museums.

Owners of items over 200 years old that are valued above €18,000 will need an "importer statement". They’ll also need an import licence for other items over 250 years old.

The museum, which only partially owns the work, will put its share of the proceeds towards establishing a new acquisition fund.

The Nelson-Atkins received this riverfront scene from Ethel B. Atha, wife of famed Folgers Coffee salesman Frank P. Atha, in 1986. The trailblazing Impressionist art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel first bought the work from Monet in 1891. It changed hands twice and ended up in the Athas’ possession some 50 years later. Ethel B. Atha donated the painting to the Nelson-Atkins as a partial gift, offering the institution two-thirds ownership while her family retained the final third. Following her death, that share fell to her daughter, Ethelyn Atha Chase, who passed away last September.

A newly discovered cabinet miniature by Nicholas Hilliard - BY ELIZABETH GOLDRING,EMMA RUTHERFORD

Phillipo: an Ottoman merchant painted by George Stubbs - BY THEODORE MOULD

A portrait by Richard Westall of the poet Eleanor Porden - BY BARBARA BRYANT

The decoration of the ballroom wing at Buckingham Palace, 1850–56 - BY PETER T.J. RUMLEY

Thomas Lawrence’s portrait of Martha Carr - BY FÁTIMA BETHENCOURT PÉREZ,ERNEST KOWALCZYK