UPDATE BULLETIN – RE: THE DE BRECY TONDO
On 28 June 2011 the Tondo was viewed in private by Dr Erin Griffey, Deputy Head of the Department of Art History at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and editor of the internationally-acclaimed book Henrietta Maria: Piety, Politics and Patronage (Ashgate Publishing, 2008). Dr Griffey considers the painting would have been of deep interest and attraction to Queen Henrietta Maria, in her devotion to the Virgin Mary as her patron saint – and thus fully germane to the theme of chapter 5 of her book entitled 'The Three Marys: The Virgin; Marie de Médicis; and Henrietta Maria'.
On 6 January 2011, following further correspondence with the Trust, Professor Dr Jürg Meyer zur Capellen of the University of Münster, Germany, presented his written opinion of the Tondo to the Trust. Professor Dr Meyer zur Capellen is at the forefront of Raphael research and is head of his Institute's Raphael Project, jointly set up between the University of Münster and the University of Würzburg, Germany. His opinion stated:
"On Monday, 22nd January 2010 I was given the chance to study the De Brécy Tondo in London at HSBC Bank, Holborn. I had been given the written information on the tondo and I think that the historical investigations done by Dr Murdoch Lothian are very interesting and as a whole convincing. So I believe it very likely that the tondo had once been in the collection or possession of Sir Richard Wynn of Gwydir coming from Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I. The painting might have had a certain significance in the catholic aims of Henrietta Maria, fostered by the Holy See. So it is possible that the painting was done in Rome for this purpose".
On the other hand, I do not think that the painting is directly going back to Raphael or his school". [The full text of Professor Dr Meyer zur Capellen's opinion is given on the Trust web site].
www.debrecy.org.uk
From the opinion of Professor Dr Jürg Meyer zur Capellen, supported by Dr Erin Griffey as to the Tondo's association with Queen Henrietta Maria, the trustees understand the historical significance of the Tondo to be;
1) as a work to have very likely once been in the collection/possession of Sir Richard Wynn of Gwydir (1588-1649) coming from Queen Henrietta Maria (1609-1669), whom he represented as her Treasurer and Receiver General from 1629 to 1649, which might have been relevant to the catholic aims of Henrietta Maria, fostered by the Vatican, and possibly painted in Rome for the purpose;
2) as the earliest historical record of a copy of Raphael's Sistine Madonna or detail thereof – in contrast to the conclusion of Dr Murdoch Lothian's PhD case study that the Tondo pre-dates the Sistine Madonna;
3) as the first and (to date) the only record of a painting containing the medieval blue dye Turnsole (folium), which was in prominent use for manuscript illumination by the fourteenth century – the most widely used indicator dye pre-1600 when its role was downgraded to a shading glaze [per medieval manuscripts conservator Dr Cheryl Porter and Dr Jan Wouters, former Director of the Laboratory for Materials and Techniques, Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage, Brussels – both members of the annual international Symposium 'Dyes in History and Archaeology'.]
The Trust has been advised that to finally achieve attribution of the work, ideally the Tondo now requires short-term public display alongside the Sistine Madonna at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden, for comparison. In the event that such display is unable to be arranged, then alternatively the Tondo requires to be exhibited at another international art venue, alongside a highest-quality, full-size professional photograph of the equivalent detail of the Sistine Madonna. The Trust is therefore in the course of arranging for such short-term exhibition and at the same time has updated the Trust web site. To make the full information on the history of the research available to all and for international publishing purposes, the Trust has been advised that it now lift the community membership registration requirement on the Trust web site. As a courtesy to the members, it is considered appropriate to give immediate notification to them of this event.
[On 1 November 2010 Professor Emeritus Howell Edwards, M.A., D.Phil., B.Sc., C.Chem., FRSC, Professor of Molecular Spectroscopy at the University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, accepted the appointment as the Trust's honorary scientific consultant in succession to Henry Bland, B.Sc., C.Chem., FRSC, who had retired. Upon learning of the appointment, Professor Dr Meyer zur Capellen requested that the Trust convey his congratulations to Professor Edwards. The Trust places on record its gratitude to Henry Bland for his invaluable scientific research and assistance over many years].
On 22 January 2010 Professor Dr Jürg Meyer zur Capellen travelled from Germany to London where he undertook a private examination of the Tondo. At the conclusion of his study of the painting, Professor Howell Edwards attended to answer any scientific questions Professor Dr Meyer zur Capellen wished to raise; and during a cordial post-viewing discussion with the Trust's representatives and Professor Edwards, he alluded to further most interesting facts relating to Raphael and his works.
In November 2008 the Trust was advised to consult Professor Dr Jürg Meyer zur Capellen of the University of Münster, Germany, as the scholar who is at the forefront of Raphael research. The detailed research information was sent to him and over the following year in correspondence with the Trust, he confirmed that he was very interested in the painting and intended to travel from Germany to view it.
On 5 March 2008 Professor Howell Edwards, whose Raman spectroscopy analysis of paint samples from the Tondo established a seventeenth-century or earlier date for the painting, and Timothy Benoy, BA (Oxon) the Trust’s honorary secretary, were invited to deliver a presentation lecture to an invited audience in the presence of the painting at the Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, UK. Professor Edwards gave an account of his scientific analysis and findings relating to the painting and Timothy Benoy recounted the history of the late collector's and subsequently the Trust's research into the work. During his address Professor Edwards described the increasingly critical importance of Raman spectroscopy to the modern-day technical analysis of art works.
In nearly thirty years' exhaustive research since the Tondo's acquisition, with many difficulties and setbacks, expert opinion has progressed from a likely nineteenth-century copy to a confirmed early Old Master work of historical importance. The trustees wish to express their sincere gratitude for your interest and support during these recent critical years of the Tondo's research.
Timothy Benoy
Honorary Secretary
August 2011
