An important bequest of paintings to the National Gallery and the Tate

November 1, 2007 — Acquisitions — London, National Gallery and Tate — In 2005, Simon Sainsbury, the grandson of John Sainsbury, founder of the famous chain of supermarkets, had donated the funds for an expansion at the National Gallery which is known today as the Sainsbury Wing.
It has just been announced that this generous patron, who died in 2006, had bequeathed five paintings to the National Gallery and thirteen to the Tate.

The works joining the National Gallery will enrich the Impressionist collection [1]. They include:

 Snow Scene at Argenteuil (ill. 1) and Water-Lilies, Setting Sun (ill. 2) by Claude Monet

1. Claude Monet (1840-1926)
Snow Scene at Argenteuil, 1875
Oil on canvas
London, National Gallery
Photo : The National Gallery London

1. Claude Monet (1840-1926)
Water-Lilies, Setting Sun, c. 1907
Oil on canvas
London, National Gallery
Photo : The National Gallery London

 After the Bath by Edgar Degas (ill. 3)

3. Edgar Degas (1834-1917)
After the Bath, c. 1896
Oil on canvas
London, National Gallery
Photo : Christie’s Images / Corbis

 Bowl of Fruit and Tankard before a Window by Paul Gauguin (ill. 4)

4. Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)
Bowl of Fruit and Tankard before a Window, probably 1890
Oil on canvas
London, National Gallery
Photo : Christie’s Images / Corbis

Among these there is also a painting by Douanier Rousseau (ill. 5), the second by him to enter the collections at the National Gallery which already owns a famous jungle scene, Surprised !

5. Henri Rousseau (1844-1910)
Portrait of Joseph Brummer, 1909
Oil on canvas - 116 x 88,5 cm
London, National Gallery
Photo : Christie’s Images / Corbis

The Tate has received works for both of its museums. For the Tate Britain:

 A painting by Thomas Gainsborough, from his early career (ill. 6)

6. Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788)
Portrait of Mr and Mrs Carter, c. 1747-1748
Oil on canvas
London, Tate Britain

  by John Wooton (ill. 7), a specialist in hunting scenes, and already represented at the Tate with one other work, The Hunt of the Duke of Beaufort.

7. John Wootton (1682 ?-1756)
Life-size Horse with Huntsman Blowing a Horn, vers 1732
Oil on canvas
London, Tate Britain
Photo : Tate Britain

As well as a canvas by Johann Zoffany, Colonel Blair and his Family and Indian Ayah in an Interior, dating from 1789, and for which we were not able to secure a picture.

8. Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947)
The Yellow Boat, c. 1936-1938
Oil on canvas
London, Tate Modern
© ADAGP

Finally, the Tate Modern has welcomed two paintings by Pierre Bonnard, Nude in the Bath from 1925 and The Yellow Boat, about 1936-1938 (ill. 8). Other works not falling under the chronological scope of The Art Tribune include three by Balthus, three by Lucian Freud, one by Francis Bacon and one by Victor Pasmore.