New Museum Acquisitions: French Gothic Revival Mask and Tudor Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I

The Musée d’Orsay in Paris has acquired an enamelled stoneware mask created by French sculptor Jean Carriès around 1890. This mask is noted for its fusion of French Gothic revival elements with Japanese ceramic influences, a style that Carriès developed after encountering Japanese ceramics at the 1878 Paris Exposition. The technical challenge of firing glazed stoneware became a focus for Carriès, and in 1888 he relocated to Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, a village renowned for its pottery tradition, where he produced this particular mask.

The mask was presented to the Musée d’Orsay as a gift from London sculpture dealer Stuart Lochhead. This donation coincided with the museum’s 40th anniversary, marking a significant addition to its collection. The mask is an example of Carriès’s innovative approach to ceramics, reflecting both his fascination with technical processes and the cross-cultural artistic influences of his era.

In Adelaide, the Art Gallery of South Australia has announced the acquisition of a 16th-century portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. According to the gallery, this is the first portrait of the Tudor queen to enter an Australian public collection. The painting is attributed to the British School and dates from around 1565.

The portrait is an oil on panel work, measuring 37 cm by 27 cm. It is set within an engaged frame, meaning the frame is carved from the same piece of wood as the painted surface. The image depicts Queen Elizabeth I holding a prayer book, a detail that adds to the historical significance of the work.

Beneath the portrait is a verse that is famously attributed to Elizabeth I herself. The inscription reads: “Christ was the word that spake it: He took the bread and brake it: And what his word did make it: That I believe and take it.” This verse connects the painting to the personal and religious identity of the queen.

The Art Gallery of South Australia plans to display the portrait of Elizabeth I alongside a portrait of her father, King Henry VIII, which is also part of the gallery’s collection. This pairing offers visitors a unique opportunity to view representations of two significant figures from English history.

These recent acquisitions by the Musée d’Orsay and the Art Gallery of South Australia highlight the ongoing efforts of museums to enrich their collections with works of historical and artistic importance. The Carriès mask and the Tudor portrait each represent distinct artistic traditions and periods, offering new perspectives for museum audiences in Paris and Adelaide.