Making Discoveries: I am Van Dyck

"The Andy Warhol of 17^th Century portraiture" -  ★★★★ Guardian

"..His portraits have a startling truthfulness …scrutinised in this show alongside self-portraits by Turner prize-winner Mark Wallinger"- Guardian

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In 2016 , Dulwich Picture Gallery will launch a series of displays that delve deeper into four major artists in the Gallery’s collection: Van Dyck, Dou, Rubens and Rembrandt. Examining the lives and techniques of each artist, the series will celebrate the creative processes of these Dutch and Flemish masters. Each display will also draw connections with guest works from other institutions and private collections that have never been seen together before.

Van Dyck's final self-portrait of c.1640, newly acquired by the National Portrait Gallery, will hang beside self-portraits by renowned contemporary artist Mark Wallinger, to explore different notions of self-portraiture. The display will also reveal new information on the Gallery’s best-known Van Dycks through X-Ray technology.

Making Discoveries is curated by Dulwich Picture Gallery’s Arturo and Holly Melosi Chief Curator Dr Xavier Bray, with support from Assistant Curator Helen Hillyard. Lenders include the National Portrait Gallery, Hauser & Wirth, the National Trust as well as a number of private lenders.                           

'The research for ‘Making Discoveries’ has been achieved through the new catalogue for the Dutch and Flemish collection at Dulwich Picture Gallery to be published in Autumn 2016. This will be the first comprehensive catalogue covering this part of the collection and will include over 220 paintings, detailing their provenance and historical significance.

Making Discoveries is supported by The Elizabeth Cayzer Charitable Trust and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.

Van Dyck’s Self-portrait was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery following a major public appeal with the Art Fund and thanks to the generous support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and others.

Self-portrait by Sir Anthony van Dyck, c.1640 © National Portrait Gallery, London. Acquired with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Art Fund in honour of Sir David Verey (Chairman of the Art Fund 2004-2014), the Portrait Fund, The Monument Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Aldama Foundation, the Deborah Loeb Brice Foundation, Sir Harry Djanogly CBE, Lord and Lady Farmer of Bishopsgate, Matthew Freud, Catherine Green, Dr Bendor Grosvenor, Alexander Kahane, the Catherine Lewis Foundation, the Material World Foundation, The Sir Denis Mahon Charitable Trust, Cynthia Lovelace Sears, two major supporters who wish to remain anonymous, and many contributions from the public following a joint appeal by the National Portrait Gallery and the Art Fund.