The National Gallery of Canada is reversing its controversial decision to sell a Marc Chagall painting.
La Tour Eiffel, one of only two Chagall oils owned by the gallery, was set to go up for auction in New York on May 15. The sale was expected to fetch between US$6 million and US$9 million.
The Globe and Mail first reported today that the gallery board of trustees made the decision to withdraw the canvas from auction Wednesday. A government source told Radio-Canada, the CBC's French language service, that the board called the auction off and alerted the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The gallery will have to pay a penalty to Christie's auction house for withdrawing the painting.
It's too early to say what that fee will be, but a spokesperson for Christie's said penalties are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on such factors as the reason why the auction was cancelled.
As of Thursday afternoon, the painting was still listed on the auction house's website with an estimated price of between US$6 million and US$9 million.
Gallery's about-face
The about-face comes just three days after the publication of an open letter signed jointly by the chair of the gallery's board of trustees, Françoise Lyon, and gallery director Marc Mayer. It stated the gallery still intended to go ahead with the sale.
In the letter, Lyon and Mayer said the board had "reviewed" the decision to sell the painting but that it would still proceed. Lyon and Mayer insisted that the decision was "very carefully considered."
Mayer is in meetings outside the country today and has been unavailable to comment on the board's decision.
Mayer also has yet to respond to Quebec's move to designate a 1779 painting of Saint Jerome by Jacques-Louis David a heritage document. Mayer had wanted to acquire the painting with the funds raised through the controversial sale of the Chagall.
The Chagall canvas is one of eight pieces the gallery's board of trustees approved last June for "de-accessioning," meaning they were earmarked for sale or donation to other facilities.
The decision drew much criticism after CBC News broke the story earlier this month, with the outgoing head of a group representing art critics calling the sale "a monumental stupidity."
Comments
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.