Celebrating the Ottley Group: 20 years of Acquisitions

Small exhibition at the British Museum showcasing pieces bought by a consortium of supporters named after the first keeper of prints and drawings at the museum who have built up a fund for buying pieces at auction to add to the collection.

The group have bought 77 pictures of which 21 were shown here. They include works not only by  the old masters but also work which fill gaps in the collection or illuminates it in some way. There were good commentaries on the work and why it was purchased. For example there was a Jacob de Wit counterproof of a Rubens drawing where the museum already owned the Rubens. Also a Jan Luyhen print of the coronation of William and Mary part of a chronicle of ‘modern’ events.

There was a lovely rare pen and ink drawing by the pastel portraitist Rosalba Carriera and the design for a panel of a vestment from about 1587. My favourite picture was the attached head studies but annoyingly I forgot to note the artist!