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Vying To Keep Titians in Britainby Zoe Strimpel
Britain is embroiled in a classic tussle about just how much the country's artistic heritage is worth — and whether the taxpayer should be stumping up for it. Last week, the National Gallery in London and the National Galleries of Scotland launched a campaign to keep two Renaissance masterpieces on this island. They are Titian's "Diana & Actaeon" and "Diana & Callisto." Both come from the Scottish Duke of Sutherland's collection, and their price tag is a modest £100 million ($177.5 million). However, the paintings are to be supplied one after the other, the second to be sold only if funds for the first are raised. If Britain fails to come up with the cash — of which about half is hoped will come from Westminster and the Scottish government at Holyrood, and half from private donation — the paintings will likely go to auction and wind up overseas. This, for all the heritage hounds in government and the arts in Britain, would not be at all desirable. The question is what price tag is appropriate for keeping the paintings here. After all, there are plenty of other great works around in the hallowed halls of the museums of England, Scotland, and Wales. Both paintings — which are indeed breathtakingly splendid — are currently on display at the National Galleries in Scotland. If both were purchased, one would hang there and one in London. The director of the National Gallery, Nicholas Penny, said in a statement: "Now the paintings have been offered on remarkably advantageous terms; their acquisition by both institutions would be an historic event." Finding the cash would be equally historic.
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