Major Works Grace the Hood

Over the last few months the Hood Museum's collection of European art has been dramatically augmented by the donation or acquisition of a number of major works. This has raised the national profile of the museum while enhancing its mission of being both a research and teaching facility.

Prominent among the accessions are a Claude Lorrain landscape and a Renaissance statue of Mars by Tiziano Aspetti—both acquired through the generosity of Richard and Julia Rush '37, Jane and David Dance '40, and Kirsten and Peter Bedford, parents of Laura '89.

Two other alumni have recently donated works of art: Adolph Weil '35 a Constable oil from his collection, and Tancie and Dave Martin '29 the painting shown in the photo, Gerard David's "Countenance of Christ on the Veil of Saint Veronica," painted c. 1510.

This latter painting, by a pivotal figure of the Netherlandish school who was influenced by Jan van Eyck, also reflects a sensibility for geometric simplification and a softening of form inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. The image of Christ on Saint Veronica's veil was derived from a medieval legend that Jesus miraculously impressed His likeness on the kerchief of Veronica, one of His followers and believers, so that when He traveled to preach she might continue to enjoy His presence. A relic of the Roman "Veronica," as it came to be known, survived in St. Peter's until 1527.

Shortly after this painting arrived at Dartmouth it was sent to the conservation laboratory at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass., to remove varnish discolored by age. During the course of this cleaning a sophisticated infrared video technique discovered a second image of Christ's face underneath the surface of the painting, somewhat lower on the panel than the finished version. The Hood's curator for European art, Hilliard Goldfarb, explains that, while underdrawing in paintings of the period is not unusual, finding a complete painted image is surprising. Experts can only speculate on the reason a patron's dissatisfaction, the artist's own second thoughts, perhaps a change in the proportions of the panel itself.

Whatever the secret of the two images, the painting is fascinating in its own right. Now, thanks to the generosity of the Martins, the haunting countenance hangs in the Albright Gallery of the Hood to be studied and to be wondered at.

David's "Countenance of Christ" andHood Director James Cuno.