Artemisia at auction

SIR – A painting by Artemisia Gentileschi appeared in a public auction in Paris last December. Before then there would have been ample opportunity – weeks – for the director and respective curators of the National Gallery (Letters, September 15) to see it and decide to try to buy it directly at the sale, as other major museums such as the Getty do from time to time.

Instead of relying on their expertise, the curators at the National Gallery, acting in the public interest, paid a disproportionate mark-up to dealers (and I write as another one myself ), after the event, to secure the painting.

If, on the other hand, they were unaware of it until after the auction, as has been claimed, then it would be interesting to know what they do all day, given that they seek to acquire major works by female artists. James Mitchell

London W1