Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/539

 1899.] ART, DRAMA AND MUSIC 115

the House of Commons on this amazing statement brought out the fact that the Government was altogether unacquainted with the jealousy with which the trustees of the National Gallery regarded every attempt of the trustees of the National Portrait Gallery to come to an under- standing with regard to the acquisition of pictures for the nation, both bodies frequently competing for the same work. Two of the above portraits were, however, acquired later in the year, owing in great measure to the munificence of Mr. C. L. Bischoffsheim, who contributed 1,0002. towards their purchase. A " Portrait of the Queen," by Sir George Hayter, was also contributed by her Majesty, and under the will of Lady Shelley the gallery became possessed of a complete set of Shelley portraits, including Mary and William Godwin, Percy and Mary Shelley, and Lady Shelley.

ThB National Gallery, Ireland.— The additions to the gallery during the year were unimportant, the director having the privilege of retain- ing for subsequent use the unexpended portion of the annual grant of 1,000/. for the purchase of pictures.

The National Gallery, Sootland,— The annual contribution of 3,4001. towards the expenses of this gallery, which is administered by the Board of Manufactures, is destined to cover the general expenses of a technical and applied art museum. The purchase of the famous picture by Sir David Wilkie in the previous year anticipated for five years the sum (200/.) annually set apart for buying pictures.

The Britieh Mnaenm was the only national institution which suc- ceeded in obtaining an addition to its annual grant in the form of an increase of 3,760/. to its previous allowance of 22,000/. for purchases. Foremost amongst them was the acquisition of the Hardwicke papers and manuscripts, removed from Wimpole Hall, comprising many thou- sands of letters, and dating from the time of the first Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, in George II.'s reign, and dealing with the time of the Jacobite plots. A large number of the more important of the Marl- borough gems were also acquired, Mr. Charles Butler making a contribution of 1,000/. for this purpose. The most important addition to the treasures of the Museum was the bequest of Baron Ferdinand de Bothschild. This almost unrivalled collection of plate, enamels, bijouterie, arms and bronzes of the oinquecento and other periods was valued roughly at 300,000/., but it contained specimens so absolutely unique as to make any valuation hypothetical. The sole condition of the bequest was that the objects should be kept together, and it was decided that a separate room should be devoted to their exhibition.

The additions to the print -room included 223 sketches by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, bequeathed by the artist ; a landscape drawing by Gainsborough; an important drawing, attributed to Bernard von Orley, "Dives and Lazarus," and a collection of ninety-one designs for glass painting by Swiss artists of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. To these should also be added a unique and undescribed Florentine engraving of the fifteenth century, with many figures, attri- buted to Finiguerra; the exceedingly rare first edition of Beham's " Bible Woodcuts," 1533, presented by Wm. Mitchell, Esq. ; forty-five proofs and prints after Morland collection, selected from the Bourke