National Gallery Annual Review

THE NATIONAL GALLERY, 1856. consult them, with the sanction of the Trustees, to employ one or more additional policemen for a limited time, and as circumstances may require." For temporary duties of the description referred to, and for the preservation of order, policemen are to be preferred to civilians. In the event of the absence of any one of the attendants from illness or other unavoidable cause, the place of such attendant should be supplied, according to the nature of the duties to be performed, either by another attendant, by a policeman, or by some proper substitute. In cases of misconduct on the part of any attendant, the Keeper will, according to the circumstances of the case, either admonish the individual, or report the case to the Director, or, with the consent of the Director, represent it to the Trustees. 3rd March 1856. INSTRUCTIONS for the "TRAVELLING AGENT" for the NATIONAL GALLERY. Sir, London, August 1855. I BEG to transmit to you some instructions, sanctioned by the Trustees of the National Gallery, respecting your duties as Travelling Agent under my directions. In accordance with the directions in the Treasury Minute, dated the 27th March 1855, of which you have a copy, you will chiefly select for recommendation good specimens of the Italian Schools of painting, including specimens of the earlier masters; not, however, omitting to notice and describe fine examples of other schools, according to opportunities. The chief particulars required in the description of pictures with a view to the objects. proposed, are, the master, or at all events the school, the subject, dimensions, and price. Next to these, the method in which the work is executed, state of preservation, and external conditions generally. The history or provenienza of the picture should also be ascertained as far as possible. Other remarks may sometimes be important; such as a comparison with other known examples of the master; and a comparison with duplicates, copies, engravings, drawings, and descriptions. The object being the acquisition of pictures, your observations and reports should be chiefly confined to collections, or single pictures, that are, or may hereafter be, for sale, as distinguished from works in public galleries, which, except in the improbable event of great national changes, or from other extraordinary causes, can never be dispersed. At the same time, as the study of fine and unquestionable specimens by a given master, in public galleries, will be a means of verifying and estimating other works by the same master which may be for sale, you are to understand that such study and comparison will be among the proper objects of your mission. This being understood, you will attend to the more precise definition of your duties in the Minute referred to (p. 8). You will visit "the private collections of distinguished families abroad, ascertaining and describing the contents, and obtaining the earliest information of any intended sale. Besides the collections referred to, your researches will include other good collections, or good single specimens, if for sale, or likely at any future time to be so; not omitting to examine eligible specimens in the hands of dealers or others. The general object of your travelling will be "to enable the Trustees and Director the more easily to acquire fine pictures that may be offered for sale on the Continent." (Treasury Minute, p. 5). You are, however, also to understand that your researches may occasionally be made in any part of the United Kingdom, as circumstances may require. In giving instructions respecting the packing and transmission of any pictures from the Continent, you will direct the agents to inform Messrs. McCracken, 7, Old Jewry, London, of the expected time of departure of the packages, name of vessel, or mode of conveyance, so that the insurance of the pictures may be effected in London at the proper time. The value of the pictures to be insured will be communicated to the London agents by me. On your return you will be required to furnish a report of your proceedings for the information of the Trustees. In the event of your purchasing any pictures on your own account, it is understood that such pictures are to be offered in the first instance to the National Gallery, at the cost price. Your duties when in England will be to assist the Director in inspecting pictures or otherwise, and to assist the Keeper and Secretary in the compilation of his Register of Works of the best Masters. M. Otto Mündler. I am, &c. (signed) C. L. Eastlake. 176.