National Galleries of Scotland

Loan to National Galleries of Scotland

Titian’s Diana and Actaeon and Diana and Callisto, along with the other Orléans pictures, remained in their London home for more than a century. During the Second World War, Bridgewater House was badly damaged by bombardments, and it is not surprising that the family decided to move the masterpieces for safekeeping. At the end of the war in 1945, the paintings belonged to 5th Earl of Ellesmere (who became 6th Duke of Sutherland in 1963). He generously offered the National Gallery of Scotland a group of thirty paintings on long term loan, and at a stroke the gallery’s holdings of paintings were transformed. This had a spectacular effect on the gallery’s profile, which became known across the world as a place to view outstanding works of art.