17th century van Dyck painting donated to Glasgow will go on show at Kelvingrove
The portrait by the Flemish Old Master was donated to settle a multi-million pound tax bill
Last updated 6th Oct 2021
A painting by the Flemish Old Master Sir Anthony van Dyck is being donated to Glasgow's museum collection and will be going on display at the world famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in November.
The artwork was painted during the artist's six years in Italy between 1621 and 1627, it features a young Marchesa Lomellini, a member of the noble Lomellini family of Genoa, and is the first van Dyck to enter the city's collection.
The artwork comes from the collection of Sir Ilay Mark Campbell, 7th Baronet of Succouth (1927-2017) and Lady Campbell.
Painting donated to pay off tax bill
She and her family offered the painting to the Glasgow Museums Collection, which is cared for by the charity Glasgow Life, as part of the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme, administered by the Arts Council on behalf of the UK Government, in return for writing off a tax bill of £2.4m.
Councillor David McDonald, chairman of Glasgow Life, said: "We are thrilled to accept this significant painting. Acquisitions are a source of excitement, celebration and inspiration and now more than ever, they highlight the contribution art and culture play in people's wellbeing.
"Until now Glasgow did not have a painting by van Dyck. This portrait, by an internationally important Old Master painter, greatly strengthens our world-class fine art collection and connects well with other paintings we have on show.
"Not only will it attract much attention from regular visitors, but given the excellent standard of the painting, together with the international importance of the artist, it is likely to draw tourists from across the world now they are safely able to travel to Glasgow once again.''
How the painting ended up in Kelvingrove
The painting once hung in the same room at Palazzo Lomellini as the one said to be the most ambitious of all van Dyck's Genoese portraits, the Lomellini Family, which is part of the collection of National Galleries Scotland.
It was then purchased by Sir Archibald Campbell of Succoth, 2nd Baronet, (1769-1846), of Garscube House, near Glasgow, where it hung in the dining room.
His great-grandson Sir George Campbell of Succoth, 6th Baronet (1894-1967) lent it to the city of Glasgow as a long term loan and it hung in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum from 1946-76, before it was inherited by the late Sir Ilay Campbell of Succoth.
Van Dyck was born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1599 and went on to become one of the most important painters of the 17th century.
The Acceptance in Lieu scheme was founded in 1910 and allows donors to offset their inheritance tax liabilities by leaving objects of cultural, historical or artistic significance to the public.
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