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 2) (London: Ackermann, 1824)

96

MR. BUCHANAN’S IMPORTATIONS.

pictures as at that period arrived safely from Italy,
in particular the Spada Guidos mentioned in the
preceding collection to this, and the suggestion held
out in the letter of Mr. Irvine, above recited, with
the account of the many capital works of art therein
mentioned, induced the author of these sketches
seriously to think of availing himself of the
services of Mr. Irvine for the purpose of obtaining
a few of the most capital works which could be
then procured in Italy. He considered well the
consequence that such would be of to the country,
and the eclat which had been derived by the French
nation from the formation of their gallery of art
which had been recently opened; and he enter-
tained an idea that if a sufficient number of works
of importance could be still brought together so as
to form an important nucleus of art of a high class,
it was not too late to make the attempt of in-
ducing his majesty’s ministers to form, through the
means of such objects, the commencement of a
national gallery: and means were not then want-
ing on his part, nor on the part of his friends, to
carry such a plan into execution, in so far as re-
garded the attainment of such capital works as
might still remain for sale in the Italian market.
Accordingly, in 1801, he wrote his intentions
fully to Mr. Irvine, who had so honourably ac-