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National Gallery spends £16m on altarpiece by unknown artist

National Gallery spends £16m on altarpiece by unknown artist

Times01-05-2025

A mysterious 500-year-old altarpiece has become one of the most expensive purchases for the national collection despite a lack of information about it, even the nationality of its creator.
The National Gallery has bought the work featuring the Virgin, a brace of playful angels and a slobbering dragon for £16.4 million from an anonymous owner, even after a panel of experts were unable to agree on the identity of the artist.
The Virgin and Child with Saints Louis and Margaret and Two Angels was of 'outstanding importance', the gallery said, adding that it hoped further research would solve the 'conundrum' of its creation.
Tests on the 1.2m high altarpiece have established that the oak tree used for its panel was felled around 1483, and the

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Network of Victorian tunnels discovered under massive Surrey sinkhole
Network of Victorian tunnels discovered under massive Surrey sinkhole

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time3 days ago

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Network of Victorian tunnels discovered under massive Surrey sinkhole

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How colour is created in the mind
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New Statesman​

time5 days ago

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Coronation portrait of UK's King Charles unveiled
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Reuters

time06-05-2025

  • Reuters

Coronation portrait of UK's King Charles unveiled

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