Mr. Felton's Bequests

Poynter, John

ISBN 10: 0522850790 / ISBN 13: 9780522850796

Published by The Miegunyah Press. First Australian edition., Melbourne, 2003

About this Item

Alfred Felton, his life and bequests, or one of the the latter: 1,500 items purchased by the National Gallery of Victoria between 1904 and 2004; #509/800 copies signed by the author. Original black cloth. Fine in slipcase as issued. Seller Inventory # 45391

Bibliographic Details

Title: Mr. Felton's Bequests

Publisher: The Miegunyah Press. First Australian edition., Melbourne

Publication Date: 2003

Binding: Hardcover/Hardback

Condition: Fine

Signed: signed by author

Edition: First Edition.

Book Type: book

About this title

Synopsis:

When Alfred Felton died in 1904 he left [pound]378,033 in trust to the people of Victoria, the income to be split between approved charities and the acquisition of art. 'Without the Felton Bequest, Australia would have no complete account of Durer's or Goya's graphic work. There would be no Rembrandt, no Van Dyck, no Poussin, no Tiepolo, no Reynolds nor Gainsborough of substance, no groups of Turner and Constable, not Manet, to cite only the most obvious examples. Although the last quarter of the twentieth century saw a dramatic and exciting expansion of Australian art museums...no institution could hope to replicate the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria assembled under the aegis of the Felton Bequest.'--Patrick McCaughey When Alfred Felton died in 1904 he left [pound]378,033 in trust to the people of Victoria, the income to be split between approved charities and the acquisition of art. This staggering sum--equivalent to over USD26 million today--was one of the most extravagant examples of public philanthropy ever witnessed in the country. A century later, Mr Felton's bequests continue to fund art acquisitions and to support a wide variety of charities.

About the Author:

John Poynter, an Honorary Professorial Fellow in the Australia Centre, University of Melbourne, was formerly Ernest Scott Professor of History and a Deputy Vice-Chancellor in the University; he spends his time in retirement writing history and biography.