Last week I saw a report on BBC News about a ‘lost’ masterpiece by the Flemish artist Quentin Massys, which had recently been ‘rediscovered’ by experts from the National Gallery. It had hung for many years behind the altar at Campion Hall in Oxford, the Jesuit study centre for research and learning, but has now been moved to the Ashmolean Museum on long-term loan, so that more people can see and appreciate it.
How could I resist? On Friday I went in to Oxford to visit the Ashmolean and have a look. The volunteer at the enquiry desk didn’t know about it… she asked the staff at the entrance… they directed me to Gallery 47, the German and Flemish Art gallery. And there it was: stunning, beautiful. Much brighter and cleaner than this image shows, as if it has just been cleaned and restored. Every detail is shining, crystal-clear.
If you’re near Oxford or passing by, this is well worth a visit.
Godspelled 