#LondonPeachy #CulturedPeachy @NationalGallery #nationalgallery RANSOM AND REWARD NOTES FROM NATIONAL GALLERY ARCHIVES PHOTOGRAPHED FOR 60th ANNIVERSARY OF THE THEFT OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON PORTRAIT
Photographs of documents relating to the dramatic theft on 21 August 1961 of Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery have been released to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the crime this weekend.
A reward notice from the Metropolitan Police, a handwritten ransom note, and a statement on the Gallery’s position following the ransom demands, are among the newly-photographed papers held in the Gallery’s Research Centre.
The images are released ahead of next year’s UK premiere of the film The Duke directed by Roger Michell and starring Jim Broadbent and Dame Helen Mirren which tells the story of the theft and subsequent trial of Bunton.
In July 1965 Newcastle-upon-Tyne taxi driver Kempton Bunton confessed that he had taken the Gallery’s painting but following a high-profile trial, he was controversially found not guilty of stealing the picture.
Kempton Bunton (1904–76) had sent ransom notes saying that he would only return the painting on condition that the government invest more in care for the elderly, specifically bringing attention to his long-running campaign for pensioners to receive free television licenses.
The target of one of the 20th century’s most audacious museum heists, Francisco de Goya’s The Duke of Wellington had recently been acquired by the Gallery and had only been on display there since 2 August 1961, nineteen days prior to its theft.
The portrait, which was painted following Wellington’s victory at the Battle of Salamanca in 1812, had been acquired by the Gallery after it was put up for auction at Sotheby's in 1961 by John Osborne, 11th Duke of Leeds, whose family had owned the painting over several generations.
In the sale the New York collector Charles Wrightsman bid £140,000, but the Wolfson Foundation offered £100,000 and the government added a special Treasury grant of £40,000, matching Wrightsman's bid and obtaining the painting for the National Gallery.
The theft was referenced in the 1962 James Bond film Dr No in a scene in which the painting was on display at Dr Julius No's lair, suggesting the first Bond villain had stolen the work.
The portrait is currently on display in Room 45 of the Gallery, admission free.
Roger Michell, the director of the film The Duke, says: ‘It’s amazing to think this painting was once hidden at the back of a wardrobe in Newcastle. And perhaps even more amazing that 60 years later I got to make a film about how it ended up there! It’s a story that provides much laughter (and a few tears), boosted undoubtedly by the brilliance of Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren. There’s also a delicious twist that I can’t wait to share with the public when the film is finally in cinemas next Spring. In the meantime, enjoy Goya’s painting as it was meant to be enjoyed: hanging on the wall of the National Gallery!’
Image caption From left: Reward notice from Metropolitan Police, September 1961; Kempton Bunton’s first ransom note, addressed to Reuters and postmarked 30 August 1961; Francisco de Goya The Duke of Wellington, 1812-14; images: © The National Gallery, London
The documents:
P7215_004: National Gallery press statement November 1963 outlining its position following receipt of an anonymous letter asking for ransom and a pardon in exchange for the portrait
P7215_002: Police press statement following the theft of Goya portrait, 22 August 1961
P7215_001: Metropolitan Police £5000 reward for recovery of stolen Goya portrait, September 1961
The Ransom notes:
Bunton claimed to have sent five ransom notes between 1961 and 1965, although the second note (mentioned in the 000 3 document below), sent to Reuters on 11 February 1962, was not recorded and may have gone astray.
P7215_003: Ransom note. This is Bunton’s first ransom note, addressed to Reuters and postmarked 30 August 1961
P3494_001: Third Ransom Note following the theft of Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery, addressed to Exchange Telegraph and postmarked 3 July 1962
About the painting:
Francisco de Goya 1746 - 1828
The Duke of Wellington, 1812-14
Oil on mahogany, 64.3 x 52.4 cm
Bought with aid from the Wolfson Foundation and a special Exchequer grant, 1961
This portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was painted after he had defeated the French forces of Napoleon and entered Madrid victorious in August 1812.
Wellington sat for Goya shortly after his arrival in Madrid, and the artist produced a large painting of the Duke on horseback (Apsley House, London), a drawing (British Museum, London) and our painting on panel. Although this portrait was probably painted directly from life, Goya later altered Wellington’s pose and made significant changes to the composition as the Duke was awarded the different medals and military orders he wears here.
Wellington was a short man, and Goya paints him in an upright pose with his head held high, as if wishing to appear taller. The composition’s simplicity focuses our attention on Wellington’s face. This is not the look of a triumphant man: his face is gaunt and exhausted from battle, contrasting with the bright crimson military uniform he wears.
Painting image credit:
Francisco de Goya The Duke of Wellington, 1812-14 © The National Gallery, London
About the National Gallery:
The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in 1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection includes works by Bellini, Cézanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez. The Gallery’s key objectives are to enhance the
collection, care for the collection and provide the best possible access to visitors. Admission free. More at nationalgallery.org.uk
More information at nationalgallery.org.uk
Twitter @nationalgallery
Facebook @thenationalgallery
Instagram #nationalgallery
YouTube The National Gallery
About the film The Duke:
The Duke stars Academy Award winners Jim Broadbent (Iris) and Helen Mirren (The Queen), this uplifting dramatic comedy has been directed by Bafta winner Roger Michell (Notting Hill) from a screenplay by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman. The film will be released nationwide in UK cinemas Spring 2022.
The Duke is a moving true story that celebrates a man who was determined to live a meaningful life. Set in 1961, it follows the story of Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, who stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. Kempton proceeded to send ransom notes declaring that he would only return the painting on the condition that the government invest more in care for the elderly, specifically bringing attention to his long running campaign for pensioners to receive free television licenses.
What happened next is the stuff of legends…only 50 years later did the full story emerge and it was revealed that Kempton had spun a web of lies. The only truth was that he was a good man, determined to change the world and save his marriage - how and why he used the Duke to achieve this, is a wonderfully uplifting tale that will be seen on film for the first time.
The Duke official social channels
Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/TheDukeFilmUK/
Twitter URL: www.twitter.com/TheDukeFilmUK/
Instagram URL: www.instagram.com/TheDukeFilmUK
Hashtags: #TheDuke, #TheDukeFilm
Trailer: THE DUKE (2021) Official Trailer [HD] Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren ‐ YouTube
