Following the acquisition of this Honthorst masterpiece, once in the collection of Lord Charlemont, the picture was specially exhibited with contextual information regarding its history.
From a museum press release of June 2001, taken from Internet on 24 March 2009
According to historical records, the Honthorst painting ‘A musical party’ was owned by Cardinal del Monte, and hung in his Roman palace, in the same room as Caravaggio’s Lute Players (now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). In 1628, the painting was acquired by Cardinal Francesco Barberini, and remained in his collection for more than a hundred years. It was purchased for Lord Charlemont in 1756 by his agent, the painter, John Parker, and brought to Ireland. It was displayed in the Casino at Marino in Dublin and loaned several times throughout the 19th century to the Royal Irish Institution, and Dublin Exhibition of Art Industries Manufactures & Loan Museum.
In 1892, the painting was sold at auction as part of Lord Charlemont’s collection, and its whereabouts thereafter was unknown, until its reappearance recently on the London market.