Buchanan, William: Memoirs of painting: with a chronological history of the importation of pictures by the great masters into England since the French Revolution (Band 1) (London: Ackermann, 1824)

322

THE VITTURI COLLECTION.

had purchased from Mr. Locke to Mr. Des En-
fans, who again sold the Poussin to the Marquis
of Lansdowne, and the St. Ursula Claude to my-
self for £12:00. I purchased from Des Enfans
at the same time the Pythagoras of Salvator
Rosa, and its companion, which had been brought
from Italy by Gavin Hamilton, as also a fine pic-
ture by Schidone, and some others of consequence;
and I paid him for the lot £ 2800, argent comp-
tant.
“ This purchase, as well as that of the Flemish
part of the Orleans, was long before your time,
and before the period when you undertook your
spirited enterprise of bringing from Italy so many
capital works of art, for which this country must
ever be your debtor. The conquest of Italy by
the French opened a door for the acquisition of
works of that high class, which it was needless to
think of obtaining before that event; and the
Vitturi collection, which I purchased in Italy
before either of the above purchases, was deemed
one of the most consequential which had been
brought from thence at that early period.
“ I must here state to you, that in those days
I was a man of very independent fortune, left to
me by my father, Sir Thomas Slade. After
having dedicated two years in making a tour
through England, Scotland, and Ireland, I set out