A private viewing of an extraordinary 18th Century Painting

We're thrilled to be launching our 2021 acquisition fundraising campaign, with the opportunity for our Society members and acquisition donors to attend an exclusive preview event. The campaign is a joint fundraiser between the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Mackelvie Trust and Mackelvie Society. Our first preview event was booked out within a day, so if you'd like to come along - please be quick!

Join us for an exclusive preview of an extraordinary portrait, which the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is seeking to acquire. On loan from a London collection, Louis-Gabriel Blanchet’s portrait of Scottish antiquarian William Rouet, painted in Rome in 1763, offers a window onto eighteenth-century travel, art collecting and the lure of Italy at a time of archaeological discoveries. A splendid, velvet-clad figure of authority, William Rouet is shown - monocle in hand – inspecting icons of masculinity from centuries past.

Brought to New Zealand for inclusion in an upcoming exhibition Manpower; Myths of Masculinity, we invite you to join Senior Curator of International Art Sophie Matthiesson to see this splendid portrait in the conservation studios of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Join us for close looking and discovery, followed by refreshments in the members lounge. Magnifying glasses provided. Numbers limited!

Two preview events available to join:

Thursday 19th August 2021
2.00pm - 3:30pm
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

UPDATE AS AT MONDAY 23RD AUGUST - THE FOLLOWING EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED
Tuesday 24th August 2021
10:30am - 12noon
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

To attend either of these events, please RSVP and specify which event you’d like to attend at info@mackelviesociety.com

Image credit: Louis-Gabriel Blanchet, Portrait of William Rouet (1714-1785) Glasgow scholar and tutor to the Hope family in Italy, 1763. Oil on canvas, 985 x 750 mm. London collection