HC Deb 25 July 1929 vol 230 cc1527-8W
Captain CAZALET

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what former occasions Exchequer grants have been given to purchase pictures for the National Gallery or other public institution; and will he state the amount of the grant given on each occasion separately?

Mr. P. SNOWDEN

Since 1853, when an annual grant-in-aid was instituted, Government has made the following special grants to the National Gallery:

  • 1871.—£75,000 for the Peel Collection;
  • 1874.—£10,395 for 14 Italian pictures out of the Barker sale;
  • 1883.—£15,600 for pictures out of the Hamilton sale;
  • 1885.—£87,500 for the "Ansidei" Raphael and Van Dyck's equestrian portrait of Charles I;
  • 1890.—£25,000 (out of a total of £55,000) for Holbein's "Ambassadors," the "Admiral Pulido-Pareja" by Velasquez, and "An Italian Nobleman" by Moroni;
  • 1894.—£5,000 (to assist the ordinary grant-in-aid in buying) 19 pictures, chiefly from Eastlake and Adrian Hope collections;
  • 1895.—£5,000 (to assist the ordinary grant-in-aid in buying) 13 pictures.
  • 1899.—£12,500 (out of a total of £15,000) for the de Saumarez Rembrandts;
  • 1905.—£2,000 (out of a total of £30,000) for Titian's "Ariosto";
  • 1908.—£12,500 (out of a total of £25,000) for the "Family Group" by Hals;
  • 1909.—£10,000 (out of a total of £72,000) for Holbein s "Duchess of Milan":
  • 1911.—£15,000 (out of a total of £40,000) for the Castle Howard "Adoration of the Kings" by Mabuse;
  • 1918.—£11,725 for 27 pictures and drawings bought in Paris at the Degas sale.

In addition, a special grant of £25,000 was made to the British Museum in 1895 for the purchase of the Malcolm Collection.