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Two British Institutions Team Up for Titian

By ARTINFO

Published: August 28, 2008
LONDON/EDINBURGH—The National Gallery in London and the National Galleries of Scotland are looking to jointly purchase Titian’s painting Diana & Actaeon for £50 million ($92 million), Bloomberg reports.

The painting, like its companion piece Diana and Callisto, was painted by the Venetian Renaissance master for for King Philip II of Spain, and both are part of a group of 28 works from the collection of the Duke of Sutherland that have been on loan to NGS since 1945.

If the purchase is made, the work will alternate between the London and Edinburgh museums, and the duke will offer the museums the other Titian for a similar amount in four years.

“For a century,” NG director Nicholas Penny said in a press release, “the agitation to preserve great works of art in British collections from export has been animated by anxiety [that the two Titians] might be sold.'' According to the release, the duke decided to put the works up for sale in light of the strong art market, and his offer to the museums was “remarkably advantageous.''
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