Angelica Kauffman picture returns to National Trust’s Stourhead after 140 years

Kauffman (1741-1807) painted the picture in the 1770s and it was purchased in April 1773 by Henry Hoare II (1705-85), the creator of Stourhead’s landscape garden, who was an enthusiastic art collector.

He displayed the painting in a picture gallery containing his finest and favourite works. Henry’s grandson, Sir Richard Colt Hoare, was also a collector and his catalogue of pictures records the artwork hanging in the dining room in 1822, suggesting that it was still regarded as an important work of art.  

However, 60 years later, debts and falling income forced Sir Henry Ainslie Hoare to auction off many valuable items from the Stourhead collection and on June 2, 1883, Penelope awakened by Euriclea sold for the modest sum of 7 guineas.

The picture was then owned by private collectors including Sir Arthur Philip du Cros (1871-1955) in Dublin and auctioned again at Christie's in London on July 17, 1992.

Then on May 24 this year the oil on canvas was estimated at £150,000-250,000 and offered at Christie’s in New York, catalogued as Kauffman and studio.

Just 12 days ahead of the auction, National Trust cultural heritage curator Stephen Ponder was made aware the painting was coming up for sale.

Fundraising was quickly organised. Thanks to the generous support of a National Trust fund (set up by the late Simon Sainsbury) and a member of the Hoare family, the National Trust bought the painting for a hammer price of $170,000 or a premium-inclusive $214,200 (£176,012).

In a statement the National Trust said: “At Stourhead a key priority is retrieving objects lost in the 1880s sales to share them with visitors.”

The painting is on display until November 5 and then will be part of a wider exploration of Kauffman’s work in 2024.