National Galleries of Scotland's (NGS) decision to commit more than £4m towards the £50m joint purchase of Titian's Diana and Actaeon means that the Edinburgh institution has now spent its acquisition budget for the next two years.
The NGS, in partnership with the National Gallery in London, succeeded in concluding a deal with the painting's owner, the Duke of Sutherland, last month. But an NGS spokeswoman admitted: "The NGS is committing £4.6m from purchase funds, trust funds and reserves towards the acquisition.
We will be using funds from our acquisition budget, which have not already been committed, up until March 2011. It does have a significant impact, but we made the decision that this acquisition was a priority."
Art consultant Wendy Law, who established the National Collecting Scheme for Scotland, questioned the move. "Titian is one of the greatest artists there has ever been, and if future acquisition budgets have to be committed, then that is how it is," she said.
"However, I hold the view that alongside the need to collect such Renaissance gems is the need for galleries, nationals and local authority museums and galleries to be investing far greater sums in the work by our excellent living artists."
Meanwhile, the National Gallery has given £12.5m, comprising £11.5m from bequests, general donations and investment income from these sources, along with £1m grant-in-aid, according to a spokesman for the gallery.
The Scottish government has pledged £12.5m, with £7.4m from public donations and individual trusts. The National Heritage Memorial Fund has donated £10m, while the Art Fund has given £1m and the Monument Trust pledged £2m.
Questions were raised about the terms of the deal, especially about assurances for the continued loan of the remaining 26 Bridgewater paintings owned by the Duke, which have hung at the National Gallery of Scotland since 1945.
These works would reportedly remain in Edinburgh for only 21 years if the purchase of a second Titian work owned by the duke, Diana and Callisto, was successful in 2013.
A spokesman for the Duke of Sutherland said: "The assurances covering the collection are already in place, and are firm and do not depend on the sale of the second picture. However, if the purchase of the second painting does not go through, then the Duke will be free to sell it on the open market, or to sell other works from the collection of a similar value."
The NGS, in partnership with the National Gallery in London, succeeded in concluding a deal with the painting's owner, the Duke of Sutherland, last month. But an NGS spokeswoman admitted: "The NGS is committing £4.6m from purchase funds, trust funds and reserves towards the acquisition.
We will be using funds from our acquisition budget, which have not already been committed, up until March 2011. It does have a significant impact, but we made the decision that this acquisition was a priority."
Art consultant Wendy Law, who established the National Collecting Scheme for Scotland, questioned the move. "Titian is one of the greatest artists there has ever been, and if future acquisition budgets have to be committed, then that is how it is," she said.
"However, I hold the view that alongside the need to collect such Renaissance gems is the need for galleries, nationals and local authority museums and galleries to be investing far greater sums in the work by our excellent living artists."
Meanwhile, the National Gallery has given £12.5m, comprising £11.5m from bequests, general donations and investment income from these sources, along with £1m grant-in-aid, according to a spokesman for the gallery.
The Scottish government has pledged £12.5m, with £7.4m from public donations and individual trusts. The National Heritage Memorial Fund has donated £10m, while the Art Fund has given £1m and the Monument Trust pledged £2m.
Questions were raised about the terms of the deal, especially about assurances for the continued loan of the remaining 26 Bridgewater paintings owned by the Duke, which have hung at the National Gallery of Scotland since 1945.
These works would reportedly remain in Edinburgh for only 21 years if the purchase of a second Titian work owned by the duke, Diana and Callisto, was successful in 2013.
A spokesman for the Duke of Sutherland said: "The assurances covering the collection are already in place, and are firm and do not depend on the sale of the second picture. However, if the purchase of the second painting does not go through, then the Duke will be free to sell it on the open market, or to sell other works from the collection of a similar value."