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The Independent
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
National Gallery spends £16m on painting without knowing where it's from or who the artist is
The National Gallery has spent more than £16m on a mysterious painting – despite not knowing who the artist is. The 16th-century altarpiece – which has not been exhibited in over 60 years – was bought by the gallery from a private collection for £16.4m, making it one of the largest ever purchases for the national collection. But a panel of experts were unable to agree on the identity of the artist, and the gallery now hopes further research will solve the 'conundrum' of its origin. Dating from about 1510, the painting depicts a virgin and child at its centre, with two saints, two playful angels, a naughty child and a 'magnificent slobbering dragon'. The painting was described as 'outstanding importance' by the National Gallery - though basic facts such as whether the painter was French or Netherlandish - which refers to 15th and 16th century art from the Low Countries, now modern-day Belgium, Netherlands, and parts of France and Germany - is still up for debate. Emma Capron, curator of Early Netherlandish and German paintings at the National Gallery, said: 'This is a rare and exciting addition to the National Gallery's superb collection of Early Netherlandish Paintings. 'This altarpiece is the work of a talented and highly original artist, and I hope that ongoing research and the painting's public display will help solve this conundrum in the future.' The picture is the latest acquisition of the gallery which is celebrating its 200th anniversary, and will go on public display for the first time since 1960 on May 10. 'The Virgin and Child with Saints Louis and Margaret' served as an altarpiece, probably for the urban priory of Drongen in Ghent, modern Belgium. Though the painting was first documented in 1602, tests on the painting's panel revealed it derived from an oak tree which was felled around 1483. The painting is full of 'wildly inventive' details, the gallery said, including the 'humorous' addition of an 'unruly child showing us his behind on the top right capital'. Other more sombre details include bare wooden steps and nail heads, believed to be foretelling Christ's crucifixion. The gallery said: 'With its lack of artist attribution, this painting challenges art historians' tendency to focus on names and demonstrates that for the late medieval and Renaissance periods, anonymity can intersect with extraordinary quality.' The gallery bought the piece, which had been exempted from capital taxes, in a deal arranged by Sotheby's for the 'special price of £16.4 million' with the support of the American Friends of the National Gallery London. The gallery did not specify who the previous owners were, but Art Newspaper reported that it was until recently kept in Dorset, on the Lulworth Estate, home of the Weld family. It was previously sold by a descendant of the family of Henry Blundell, who died in 1810 and is believed to have bought it from Ghent itself by 1803.
Telegraph
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
National Gallery spends £16m on masterpiece by unknown artist
The National Gallery has spent £16.4 million on a rare Renaissance masterpiece by an unknown artist. The Virgin and Child with Saints Louis and Margaret and Two Angels, estimated to have been created between 1500-1510, features the Virgin Mary seated with Christ as a child, flanked by saints and angels. The work features a snarling dragon, an angel plucking a Jew's harp and an 'unruly child showing us his behind on the top right capital'. The painting, measuring 1.2 metres high, was bought through Sotheby's, with support from the American Friends of the National Gallery London. It will go on public display from May 10 as part of the gallery's bicentenary celebrations and the reopening of its newly refurbished Sainsbury Wing. Emma Capron, curator of early Netherlandish and German paintings, said it was a 'rare and exciting addition' to the collection. She added: 'This altarpiece is the work of a talented and highly original artist, and I hope that ongoing research and the painting's public display will help solve this conundrum in the future.' Experts remain divided over whether it was painted in the Low Countries or France. Possible artists include Jan Gossaert, already represented in the National Gallery's collection, and Jean Hey. Technical analysis shows the oak panel was cut from a tree felled after 1483, with stylistic aspects pointing to a date around 1510. The painting was first recorded at the priory of Drongen near Ghent in 1602. It later entered private hands and was reportedly housed at the Lulworth Estate in Dorset, home of the Weld family. The gallery said in a statement: 'With its lack of artist attribution, this painting challenges art historians' tendency to focus on names and demonstrates that for the late medieval and Renaissance periods, anonymity can intersect with extraordinary quality.' The purchase joins a string of high-profile acquisitions marking the National Gallery's 200th anniversary, including recent additions by Poussin, Alma-Tadema and Eva Gonzales.
Times
01-05-2025
- General
- Times
National Gallery spends £16m on altarpiece by unknown artist
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
