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Christ Church Picture Gallery opened in 1768 with its founding bequest from General John Guise (1682-1765). While the collection focuses on Italian Old Masters it also includes outstanding examples of Dutch and Flemish art – paintings, drawings and prints. Among the paintings is a fragment of Hugo van der Goes’ Lamentation (Grosse Kreuzabnahme), a Deposition by the Master of Delft, Anthony van Dyck’s Continence of Scipio, as well as portraits by Frans Hals and Jan van Scorel. Tragically, the beautiful preparatory oil sketch of a Horse and Rider by Anthony van Dyck was stolen in a burglary in March 2020 (the Picture Gallery remains hopeful for its return). Among the works on paper are drawings by Hugo van der Goes, Rubens, van Dyck, Jordaens and many more.
A concise online catalogue of the works is in preparation, but for now, please consult the gallery’s collections catalogues written by James Byam Shaw (paintings in 1967; drawings in 1976).
Jacqueline Thalmann, Curator of the Picture Gallery (June 2024)