The Scottish parliament heard the case for and against allowing loans from the Burrell Collection at a meeting in Glasgow last month.
The Burrell Collection (Lending and Borrowing) (Scotland) Bill Committee, received evidence from Glasgow Life, Museums Galleries Scotland, Glasgow council, Arts Council England and other witnesses.
The 800-item collection was bequeathed to Glasgow by William Burrell in 1944 on the condition that the art should not travel overseas.
Glasgow Life, which runs the city’s museums and galleries, has asked the Scottish parliament to put forward a bill to allow the collection to tour. The building housing the Burrell Collection is to undergo a £45m redevelopment and will be closed from 2016 to 2020.
But The Herald ran a confidential submission by Nicholas Penny, director of the National Gallery in London, questioning the safety of transporting art overseas.
The newspaper reported Penny as saying that moving works of art had led to major accidents and damage.
Angus Grossart, who is on the board of Glasgow Life, said: “Penny seems to be suggesting that all loans create a risk and that it is therefore unwise to engage in the practice. “However, that is inconsistent with his own practice. For example, the Vermeer exhibition held by the National Gallery last year was substantially dependent on borrowing, as is the upcoming Vienna 1900 exhibition. It would be ironic if you borrowed from others but were not prepared to lend.”
The bill will be put before parliament in January.
The Burrell Collection (Lending and Borrowing) (Scotland) Bill Committee, received evidence from Glasgow Life, Museums Galleries Scotland, Glasgow council, Arts Council England and other witnesses.
The 800-item collection was bequeathed to Glasgow by William Burrell in 1944 on the condition that the art should not travel overseas.
Glasgow Life, which runs the city’s museums and galleries, has asked the Scottish parliament to put forward a bill to allow the collection to tour. The building housing the Burrell Collection is to undergo a £45m redevelopment and will be closed from 2016 to 2020.
But The Herald ran a confidential submission by Nicholas Penny, director of the National Gallery in London, questioning the safety of transporting art overseas.
The newspaper reported Penny as saying that moving works of art had led to major accidents and damage.
Angus Grossart, who is on the board of Glasgow Life, said: “Penny seems to be suggesting that all loans create a risk and that it is therefore unwise to engage in the practice. “However, that is inconsistent with his own practice. For example, the Vermeer exhibition held by the National Gallery last year was substantially dependent on borrowing, as is the upcoming Vienna 1900 exhibition. It would be ironic if you borrowed from others but were not prepared to lend.”
The bill will be put before parliament in January.