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)

THE VITTURI COLLECTION.

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left the usual mode of weaving to work under our
patent.
“ By the failure of this speculation, instead of
becoming, as Lord Kinnaird had presaged, one of
the richest men in the kingdom, I lost a fine for-
tune, and was compelled to break up my collection.
Most of the principal pictures I let my good friends
the Earl of Darnley and Sir Philip Stephens have,
and some of less note passed into the collection of
Commissioner Brett. Most of those to Lord
Darnley are still in his lordship’s grand gallery at
Cobham Hall, particularly the Titians, and the
fine Pythagoras of Salvator Rosa; the famous long
landscape of Cuyp was amongst those belonging
to Sir Philip Stephens; my charming St. Ursula
of Claude I likewise offered to Lord Darnley and
Sir Philip Stephens, as also to the late Lord
Kinnaird, for the same price I gave Des Enfans
for it, which was £1200, although I was certain
I could get much more, but they all declined it.
I then got £1700 conditionally, and it was soon
after sold to Mr. Angerstein for £2500. Amongst
the Marine Claudes it certainly stands pre-eminent;
so fascinating is this picture, that it has always
been the admiration of every connoisseur of art.”
The Vitturi Collection consisted of the following
pictures: