14th November 2023 – (Hong Kong) The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) is delighted to announce the arrival of 52 masterpieces from the National Gallery, London, which will be featured in the upcoming special exhibition titled “Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London.” The exhibition is set to open on 22nd November, 2023. The teams from HKPM and the National Gallery, London have worked closely together to conduct condition checks and install the newly arrived paintings in Gallery 9 of the Museum.
Among the first eight precious paintings revealed today at the Museum are Vincent van Gogh’s “Long Grass with Butterflies” (1890) and masterpieces from the “Sacred Images” section, including Sandro Botticelli’s “Three Miracles of Saint Zenobius” (about 1500), Raphael’s “The Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist” (about 1510–1511), and Quinten Massys’ “The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Four Angels” (about 1506–1509). The exhibition is co-organised by the HKPM and the National Gallery, London, with AIA Hong Kong & Macao as the Lead Sponsor and Centurion from American Express as the Major Sponsor. Funding support for the exhibition has been provided by the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund (Mega ACE Fund), established by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSAR Government in 2023 to support international and large-scale arts and cultural events in Hong Kong.
by Raphael (1483–1520).
This collaboration between HKPM and the National Gallery, London marks the first partnership of its kind in Hong Kong, and the special exhibition will showcase the prestigious painting collection of the National Gallery in Hong Kong for the first time. The exhibition has previously been successfully held at the Shanghai Museum and the National Museum of Korea earlier this year. Dr. Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, London, will make his inaugural visit to Hong Kong to officiate at the opening ceremony on November 21, 2023. As part of the learning program accompanying the exhibition, Dr. Finaldi will give a public talk titled “Nearly 200 Years Old: The National Gallery, ‘A Collection for the Use of the Public'” on November 23, 2023, at the HKPM.
The 52 masterpieces on display represent a “National Gallery in miniature,” and HKPM will adopt a unique curatorial approach to showcase the essence of this exquisite collection. The exhibition will offer audiences a concise history of Western European art as depicted through the Gallery’s collection. Spanning over four centuries, from the 15th to the early 20th centuries, these masterpieces represent significant turning points in the history of Western art, encompassing the periods of Renaissance, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism. Works by renowned artists such as Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Goya, Turner, Constable, Monet, and Van Gogh will be on view.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 22nd November, 2023, to 11th April, 2024. Tickets, priced at HK$150 for adults and HK$75 for concessions*, will grant access to the thematic exhibitions in Galleries 1 to 7.
Additionally, the HKPM’s special exhibition titled “Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan” is currently on display in Gallery 8 until 8th January, 2024. A special combo ticket, priced at HK$240 for adults and HK$120 for concessions*, will be available for visitors who wish to enjoy both special exhibitions, “Gazing at Sanxingdui” in Gallery 8 and “Masterpieces from the National Gallery” in Gallery 9, on the same day, along with access to all thematic exhibitions featuring treasures from the Palace Museum and other collections in Galleries 1 to 7. For more information, please refer to the Museum’s website.