Open email to: [email protected] Friday 4th November '22 Subject: Where is the National Gallery's 16th century German art ? Photo: Entrance to Sainsbury Wing Collection 4th Nov '22 You have closed the Sainsbury Wing till 2025, removing the 16th century German art from display, which unlike the Italian works from the same period, have not been rehung throughout the Gallery…what happened to the German works? For the Image of the Black in the National Gallery tour 16th century German art is foundational. The four of the key images and ideas - the Black Queen of Sheba, the Moor’s head, the Black St Maurice, the Black king, - I discuss in the tour have their origin in Germany from around that period. Last month I had to do an Image of the Black tour in the National Gallery to group of visiting German students using photographs as there were no physical works of art to show them. In doing so casting doubt on the National Gallery’s claim to have a ‘world-class collection of paintings in the Western European tradition’ the absence of German 16th century works is an omission, I urge you to correct. From National Gallery Albrecht Dürer Page accessed 4th Nov '22 Specifically, I would ask that you put Dürer back on display, ideally the portrait of his father, failing that any of the Dürer’s works you have. Thank you Michael I. Ohajuru [email protected] Image of the Black in London Galleries PS And while you are at it you could think about completing your collection of 16th century German art by acquiring an Adoration with a Black king and a Black St Maurice - both quinessential figures in 16th century German art . If you haven’t the funds to buy, why not negotiate some long-term loan or swop with a German gallery, they have many examples of both. UPDATE...Reply From National Gallery 8th Nov '22Dear Michael,
Thank you for emailing the National Gallery The Sainsbury Wing is undergoing a major refurbishment for the forthcoming bicentenary of the National Gallery under the NG200 scheme. Please see the link here https://ng200.org.uk/ In preparation for this, all the rooms in the Sainsbury Wing have been decanted. Due to limitations of space, not all the paintings from Sainsbury Wing can be rehung in other parts of the Gallery. Of the works you mentioned, only our fully autograph Dürer 'St Jerome' will go on display. However, some of our early German works have been rehung in rooms 16,17 and 27. From next Wednesday you will also be able to view further German works in room 25 after a rehang in there is complete. For further up-to-date information on painting locations please see our online interactive map: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/floorplans/level-2. Please be assured that I have forwarded all your comments, including those regarding potential purchase or loan of mentioned paintings, to our curatorial team for their consideration. We would like to thank you for your feedback as it helps us evaluate the service we offer. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Gallery soon. Kind regards, Ivan Visitor Information Coordinator The National Gallery Trafalgar Square London WC2N 5DN 020 7747 2885 www.nationalgallery.org.uk
1 Comment
Maggi Davis
11/7/2022 06:18:06 am
I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments expressed. Surely the curators can rearrange the hang in the main galleries to accommodate the paintings mentioned. Against the grain of current art history scholarship to remove these paintings from view.
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