Choice: Twenty-One Years of Collecting for Scotland

Timothy Clifford

As director-general of the National Galleries of Scotland from 1984 to 2006, Sir Timothy Clifford has overseen the acquisition of some of the finest, and best-loved, works in the national collection. This book chronicles the development of the collection under his directorship and casts light upon the wide range of acquisitions, including the fascinating stories behind their purchase. Lavishly illustrated, highlights of the book include The Virgin Adoring the Sleeping Christ Child by Botticelli, The Three Graces by Canova (purchased jointly with the Victoria & Albert Museum, London), and the most recent major acquisition, Venus Anadyomene by Titian. Works from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art’s internationally renowned Surrealist collection also feature, as well as paintings from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

256pp | Paperback | 150 colour illustrations