The 17th-century mistery portrait
dal 20/6/2001 al 23/9/2001
Segnalato da
20/6/2001
The 17th-century mistery portrait
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
The publication of this portrait has sparked widespread interest and commentary. The painting belongs to an Ontario resident, whose family has owned it for twelve generations and who have always believed it to represent Shakespeare. The work bears the date 1603, and if the purported identification of the sitter is to be accepted, this would be the only portrait of the Bard to have been painted in his lifetime.
In the midst of the great success of the exhibition Treasures from the
Hermitage Museum, Russia: Rubens and His Age, the Art Gallery of Ontario brings
another exclusive international opportunity to the Canadian public with
Shakespeare? The 17th-century painting purported to be of William Shakespeare,
first disclosed by the Globe and Mail on May 11 2001, will be presented to the
public at the AGO from June 21 to September 23. This scholarly display will make
the Art Gallery of Ontario a very exciting and stimulating place to be this
summer.
The publication of this portrait has sparked widespread interest and commentary.
The painting belongs to an Ontario resident, whose family has owned it for
twelve generations and who have always believed it to represent Shakespeare. The
work bears the date 1603, and if the purported identification of the sitter is
to be accepted, this would be the only portrait of the Bard to have been painted
in his lifetime.
''We saw this as an opportunity to involve the Canadian public in this great
international discussion,'' says Matthew Teitelbaum, Director of the AGO. ''By
placing this portrait on exhibition, we are expanding the ongoing dialogue about
the painting and its interpretation.''
Over the past several years, the Canadian Conservation Institute in Ottawa has
conducted a series of tests on the painting, and the resulting scientific
evidence corroborates the portrait's 17th-century date. The AGO installation
will present the results of this research, and will encourage discussion about
the work by the presentation of all sides of the various issues raised by the
painting and the identification of its subject.
Christina Corsiglia, Curator of European Art at the AGO, looks forward to
fostering continued debate about the painting. ''We are delighted to be able to
present this thought-provoking portrait. This is an unusual opportunity for the
AGO and its public to participate in the interpretation of a work of art - one
with possibly great cultural significance.''
Admission to Shakespeare? is included with pay-what-you-can admission.
The AGO is proud to celebrate its centennial year, beginning September 2001. The
Art Gallery of Ontario's collection comprises more than 25,000 works
representing 1,000 years of extraordinary European, Canadian, modern, Inuit and
contemporary art. This important collection, along with the Gallery's
preeminence in art education programmes, makes the AGO one of Canada's most
significant public resources for the advancement of the visual arts in Canada.
The AGO, Art Gallery of Ontario, is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture
and Recreation. Additional operating support is received from the Volunteers of
the AGO, the City of Toronto, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada
Council for the Arts.
Contact:
Carrie Shibinsk tel +1 (416) 979-6660, ext. 403
email Carrie_Shibinsky@ago.net
Stefanie Cepuch, tel +1 (416) 979-6660, ext. 454
email Stefanie_Cepuch@ago.net
AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto