BYE CHAGALL, HELLO DAVID?
Gallery mystery might be solved
For a multimillion-dollar secret, the identity of the major artwork being pursued by the National Gallery of Canada may not have lasted very long. A Montreal newspaper claims to have discovered that the mystery artwork — for which the National Gallery intends to sell a valuable painting by Marc Chagall — is a neoclassical masterpiece by 18th century French painter Jacques-Louis David.
It depicts Saint Jerome, famous for translating the Bible into Latin, as he hears the trumpet call of the Last Judgment. It is owned by the Notre-Dame de Quebec parish, the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec, and is held by the nearby Museum of Civilization of Quebec.
Journal de Montreal reporter Michel Bellemare quotes Monsignor Denis Bélanger, priest of the church in the historic district of Quebec City, saying that no deal is finalized, but there have been discussions and the National Gallery is “very interested.”
Other museums in Quebec and Montreal were also approached, as the parish wants to raise money to “ensure the continuity” of the church, Bélanger told the paper.
The National Gallery would neither confirm nor deny the report. Director Marc Mayer declined to be interviewed Wednesday, after saying last week that selling Chagall’s painting of the Eiffel Tower for an expected $6-million to $9-million was “a sacrifice that we think is worth making.”
He said the mystery work is an important piece of Canadian heritage that is at imminent risk of being sold overseas. It is a work of art, but not necessarily a painting, and not necessarily Canadian. It is a single object, not a collection. The owner is Canadian, and has offered the National Gallery right of first refusal.
Mayer has not publicly responded to an offer by the investment banker and arts patron Bruce Bailey to help with a fundraising campaign to buy the mystery work without having to sell the Chagall, both because it is a valuable work in its own right, and because selling from the permanent collection can discourage future donations.
A National Gallery spokesperson provided a statement describing its “rigorous” process for such transactions, which requires strict confidentiality.
“Furthermore, the owners of the artwork have asked us not to talk about the artwork at this time, and we are respecting their wishes,” the statement reads.
“We will gladly share this information with you once the purchase is confirmed.”
The Chagall is set to be auctioned in New York on May 15.
David painted the Saint Jerome work in oil on canvas in 1779 in Rome. It was first owned by a cardinal, and was sold in 1845 to the artist Nicolas Mailand, whose descendants, Genevieve and Henriette Cramail, donated it to the Quebec church in 1922.
It is currently on display at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Patricia Lachance, a media relations officer for the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, said that her institution is in discussions with the Museum of Civilization of Quebec to jointly acquire the David painting.
“This painting is a cultural property of national in- terest and we hope it will remain in Quebec,” Lachance said, calling it a “masterpiece” that “has no equal in Canada.”
Until now, common speculation was that the mystery work was by one of the Group of Seven, likely Lawren Harris, whose work has commanded astonishing prices in recent years (boosted partly by the highprofile admiration of comedian Steve Martin). Other speculations included the Saskatchewan-born Agnes Martin, whose abstract work could plausibly sell for more than $10 million.
University of Ottawa visual arts professor Penny Cousineau-Levine told Postmedia she would not object to the sale of the Chagall if it is in support of acquiring the David.
“David is a very important figure within the history of art, and if the painting to be purchased also has a historical Canadian connection, then given budget constraints, the sale may make sense,” she said.
Daniel Drouin, curator of early art for the Musée National des Beaux Arts du Québec, said he had spoken with Bélanger about the David painting.
Drouin said this museum would have been very interested to receive the David painting as a donation, but that because it is a European painting and not a Quebec painting, the museum did not have the mandate to purchase it. Even if it did, the museum would not have the budget to buy the painting because of what its valuation would likely be, Drouin added.