This year’s Dulwich Picture Gallery Christmas card is based on a painting by Ken Howard RA of Venice in the snow. He then let us auction the painting – which fetched the huge sum of £15,000 – apparently 14 people were bidding.
Venice in the Snow by Ken Howard
Ken was so delighted he refused to take half the sum raised and agreed to take a mere £2,500 instead of the £7,000 that we were going to give him.
But things have got better and better. Now he says if snow falls this winter he will rush down and paint the gallery in the snow – so next year’s Christmas card will be a painting not of Venice in the snow but of Dulwich Picture Galley in the snow. And we can have another auction! But what if it doesn’t snow? I said to Ken. I’ll come and paint it anyway, said Ken. Isn’t he a darling?
Humphrey Ocean's Christmas card
Inspired by this, when I saw Humphrey Ocean at the opening party of the Mediaeval Galleries at the V&A, I asked him to paint the Gallery too. He is thinking about it… fingers crossed.
He designed the Christmas card for Dulwich Picture Gallery in 2007.
If anyone knows any famous painters and can persuade them to paint the Gallery – just think of our prestige – it will soar.
It is possible to buy both these cards and a lot more Christmas goodies at Dulwich Picture Gallery shop.
Kate Knowles is head of communications at Dulwich Picture Gallery.
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