The Eastlake diaries project
The Gallery is collaborating with the Walpole Society to publish the entire travel diaries of Sir Charles Eastlake (1793-1865), the Gallery’s first Director. The full set of diaries will be published for the first time in 2011.
The 36 notebooks housed in the Gallery’s archive tell the story of Eastlake’s indefatigable quests to add to the Gallery’s collection great masterpieces such as Piero della Francesa’s Baptism of Christ.
The notebooks include a wealth of valuable material relating to pictures viewed by Eastlake at dealers’ premises, and in public and private collections. They include notes on their attribution, condition and technique.
Together they provide a remarkable overview of pictures and collections throughout Italy and parts of Europe between 1852 and 1865, and include numerous references to individual pictures. Publication of a completely accurate text with extensive indices will be an invaluable resource to scholars worldwide.
The diaries have been edited by the Eastlake Research Fellow, Dr Susanna Avery-Quash.
The Gallery is deeply indebted to The Elizabeth Cayzer Charitable Trust and Sir Denis Mahon for their support of the Eastlake Research Fellowship. The Fellowship was also funded by a generous grant from The Pilgrim Trust to the Walpole Society.
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