THE National Gallery of Zimbabwe is set to commemorate the return of three grandiloquent paintings from Eltham Palace in London, after they were loaned to the gallery’s founder Stephen Courtlaud over two decades ago.
BY OWN CORRESPONDENT
The gallery’s information and public relations officer, Zvikomborero Mandangu, said the commemorations were slated for May 16.
He said the paintings, which were part of the Permanent Collection at the gallery, returned early last month “back to where they belong”.
“It’s with great pleasure that the National Gallery of Zimbabwe unveils and shares the paintings with the public. A cocktail shall be officiated to commemorate their return to the Permanent Collection,” he said.
“There shall be a curatorial walkabout on that date and conversation around the significance of these works will be conducted.”’
The paintings that returned early last month were “Patriarch” and Astronomer” by Paolo Veronese and “The King of Poland being welcomed by the Doge of Venice” done by Andrea Piazza.
Courtland and his wife Virginia helped in the establishment of the National Gallery and the concert hall at the Zimbabwe College of Music among other arts centres in the country. The couple, who died in 1967 and 1972 respectively, became the first patrons of the gallery.
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The passing on of the National Gallery Act of Parliament in early 1952 saw the establishment of the Board of Trustees with Courtland as chairman until 1962.
