Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) is delighted to announce the special exhibition “Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London”, on view from 22 November 2023 to 11 April 2024. Organised by the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the National Gallery, London, this exhibition will be the first showcase of the Gallery’s prestigious painting collection in Hong Kong. It features 52 of the world’s finest masterpieces painted by fifty influential artists, spanning more than 400 years of Western art history. AIA Hong Kong & Macau is the Lead Sponsor, and Centurion from American Express is the Major Sponsor of this special exhibition.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see in Hong Kong the finest masterpieces from the National Gallery, London

The HKPM aspires to establish itself as a leading institution on the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture while fostering cross-cultural dialogue by showcasing the finest objects from different civilisations, supporting Hong Kong’s development as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. With the National Gallery’s recent renovation project, the HKPM is given an unprecedented opportunity to present the special exhibition “Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London”. The 52 masterpieces on view, dating to the 15th to early 20th century, encompass the most significant turning points in the history of art, from the Renaissance to impressionism and post-impressionism, represented by some of the world’s most revered artists, including Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Goya, Turner, Constable, Monet, and Van Gogh.

Through this exhibition, which is in essence a “National Gallery in miniature”, visitors will experience the captivating history of Western painting as uniquely told by the HKPM with highlights from the National Gallery, one of the finest art collections in the world. Key pieces include Three Miracles of Saint Zenobius (about 1500) by Sandro Botticelli; The Garvagh Madonna (about 1510–1511) by Raphael; Boy Bitten by a Lizard (about 1594–1595) by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio; Self Portrait at the Age of 63 (1669) by Rembrandt; Portrait of Charles William Lambton (“The Red Boy”, 1825) by Sir Thomas Lawrence; The Parting of Hero and Leander (before 1837) by Joseph Mallord William Turner; Long Grass with Butterflies (1890) by Vincent van Gogh; and Irises (about 1914–1917) by Claude Monet.

A fresh curatorial approach and rich learning offerings

The exhibition will be divided into six thematic sections featuring sacred images, mythological stories, everyday scenes, portraiture, landscapes, and paintings of modern life. Audiences will see these masterpieces in a new light as the exhibition draws their attention to the global connections found in the precious pigments used, the exotic objects depicted, and the diverse sources of artistic inspiration drawn upon. Unique to the HKPM’s presentation of the exhibition is the emphasis on the scientific research done by conservators at the National Gallery on a selection of paintings. Audiences will be fascinated by the layers of secrets hidden beneath the surface, revealed by science and advanced technology.