THE National Galleries of Scotland have paid out just #170,000 from
their own coffers for a painting estimated to be worth at least #3m.
The painting, Fabula by El Greco, has been on loan to the galleries
for the past 13 years. But it is one of five objets d'art accepted by
the Scottish Office in lieu of tax, a written Commons reply disclosed
last night.
The El Greco was part of the estate of Mr Mark Oliver, a tea importer,
who lived in the Borders. He died late last year.
Mr Malcolm Rifkind, Secretary of State for Scotland, revealed that
other objets d'art accepted in lieu of tax were two marble busts by
Louis Francois Roubillac (amount of tax satisfied -- #353,855), and two
portraits by Angelica Kauffman (tax, #34,100). The previous owners were
not disclosed.
He said acceptance of the El Greco -- tax satisfied, #947,136.88 --
was in accordance with arrangements agreed in 1985. It followed the
precedent set by accepting Picasso's Weeping Woman when the National
Galleries of Scotland agreed to pay the owner the difference
(#1,152,861) between the tax liability to be satisfied and the ''special
price'' of #2.1m.
Mr Timothy Clifford, director of the National Galleries of Scotland,
said last night he was delighted at the purchase of a painting he
described as ''once seen, never forgotten''.
He said the galleries, after protracted negotiations, contributed
about #170,000 toward its purchase, with the National Heritage Memorial
Fund raising about #800,000.
The Fabula, by 16th-century artist El Greco, who trained in Venice, is
about 3ft by 1.5ft. It features a youth holding a lighted brand, watched
in the dark by an open-mouthed man and a monkey.
Mr Clifford said: ''It is an enigmatic subject, and one does not know
how to interpret the eerie images.
''Artists and the public alike are deeply influenced by it. Once seen,
it is never forgotten.''
El Greco works are on display worldwide, with the finest collections
in Spain. Both Glasgow and Edinburgh have paintings.
Mr Rifkind said the Roubillac busts had been formally allocated to the
National Museums of Scotland but would remain on public display at
Mellerstain House in Berwickshire.
He added: ''In accordance with the conditions upon which the other
items were offered, the Kauffman portraits and the El Greco Fabula have
been allocated to the National Galleries of Scotland.''
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