THE National Gallery of Ireland is to gain five important paintings by leading Baroque artists under a donation from the eminent art historian, Sir Denis Mahon.
The 86 year old scholar, a former trustee of the National Gallery in London and a member of the Guinness Mahon banking family, has announced this as part of a major bequest to various public galleries and museums in Britain, Ireland and Italy.
Four of the five works are Italian and the other French. The Italian works are The Death of Cleopatra by Guido Reni; St Mary Magdalen by Domenichino; Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph by Guercino; and St Mary Magdalen Living in a Landscape by Annibale Carracci. All these are artists of the Bolognese School. The French work is an Old Testament Scene with Israelites Journeying, by Sebastien Bourdon.
Sir Denis's entire gift covers 61 pictures from his own collection, which consists mainly of Italian Baroque masterpieces. Their total value is put at £25 million. Twenty six of the works are to be placed with the National Gallery in London.
So far, no date appears to have been fixed for their delivery, which presumably will be carried out under the National Arts Collections Fund.
Mr Raymond Keaveney, the National Gallery of Ireland's director, confirmed the report in Dublin yesterday and said it was "an extremely generous and wonderful gift." Sir Denis had been "a great friend" of the gallery and three years ago was one of the international experts who had confirmed the authenticity of Caravaggio's The Taking of Christ. "The collection reflects Sir Denis's blood ties with Ireland and his particular admiration for the National Gallery," he added.
Mr Sergio Benedetti, senior curator of the gallery's Italian paintings, said the gift would close certain gaps in its collection.