Curators of the historic Wallace Collection are to loan a painting to another gallery for the first time in 122 years
- Titian’s Perseus and Andromeda is to be loaned to the National Gallery in London
- Gallery will then lend it A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning collection
- It will be shown next to Rubens’ The Rainbow Landscape masterpiece
- Wallace’s director has called this an ‘unprecedented moment in art history’
An historic art collection is loaning a painting to another gallery for the first time in its 122-year history.
The Wallace Collection is to lend Titian’s Perseus and Andromeda to the National Gallery.
In return, the gallery will lend to the collection Rubens’ A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning, where it will be displayed alongside the Flemish artist’s companion piece The Rainbow Landscape.
The Wallace Collection is to lend Titian’s Perseus and Andromeda (pictured) to the National Gallery in London and this makes history as the first time a painting has been loaned from Wallace to another gallery in its 122-year history
The Wallace Collection was left to the nation by Lady Wallace in 1897. Her will stipulated that it must ‘be kept together unmixed with other works of art’.
It displays the art collections collated by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, and then bequeathed by Lady Wallace.
However, art and legal experts have concluded the restrictions can be lifted. Dr Xavier Bray, director of the Wallace Collection, said: ‘This is an unprecedented moment in art history.’
Mr Bray revealed his ‘delight’ that ‘we are able to help the National Gallery to bring together Titian’s magnificent ‘poesie’, enabling visitors to see the complete commission for the first time in over 400 years’.
The masterpiece will join the collection Rubens’ A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning, where it will be displayed alongside the Flemish artist’s companion piece The Rainbow Landscape (pictured)
The London gallery will loan Titian’s historic Perseus and Andromeda to the National Gallery for their upcoming exhibition, Titian: Love, Desire, Death.
But new analysis by art and legal experts has concluded that the original loan restrictions can be lifted following a reinterpretation of the will.
Gabriele Finaldi, the director of the National Gallery, said: ‘The trustees at the Wallace Collection took the momentous decision to lend [the Titian work]. We are so supportive because the general public is the beneficiary.’
The London-based collection includes works by Velazquez, Van Dyck and a number of the finest 18th century French artists. It was left to the nation by Lady Wallace in 1897 who wrote in her will that the Collection must ‘be kept together unmixed with other works of art’
He added: ‘These are projects that would have been unthinkable a few weeks ago. By bringing them together [the two Rubens works], we’ll be able to see what Rubens intended.’
The world-renowned London-based collection, which includes works by Velazquez, Van Dyck, an array of the finest French 18th century art and princely arms and armour, was traditionally considered to be a closed collection.
However, the terms of Lady Wallace’s bequest do not forbid lending or borrowing, and in September the collection joined other national museums in lending works both within the UK and internationally.