July 2026: New Acquisitions

Whilst battling the summer heatwaves throughout May and June and amongst two successful selling exhibitions: The Artist and the Engineer and A Selling Exhibition of Women Artists, Darnley Fine Art has continued to grow its eclectic collection with a number of important acquisitions. Spanning early Tudor portraiture, through Post-Impressionism to Modern British these new additions reflect both the scope and quality of Darnley’s unique collection. Below are a few select highlights from our May and June acquisitions.

Circle of Corneille de Lyon - Portrait of a Noblewoman

First on the list is this stunning portrait of a Tudor noblewoman by an artist in the circle of Corneille de Lyon. Dressed in mourning, wearing black with a fur outer layer and a black velvet affifet as was customary for widows, the woman clasps an intricately painted gold chain, whilst another jewelled pendant hangs from her neck. Though we have been unable to identify the sitter, her clothing and jewellery indicate that she was of high rank.

The green background, fine detailing of the face, half-length pose and small scale of the work are all characteristic of Corneille de Lyon’s style, indicating that it was painted by one of the artist’s followers. The exquisite detail of this work showcases not only the technical skill of the artist but also their to capture a sense of intimacy with the sitter, capturing a quiet moment of self-reflection.

Jan van Staveren – A Hermit Reading

From the Tudor court we move to the 17^th century and the Dutch city of Leiden. This small-scale work, most likely intended as a devotional piece, depicts a hermit clad in brown robes reading a book of prayers in a cave. The high level of detail in this work is utterly remarkable. The folds of the monk’s clothes, the pages of his book and even the hairs on his beard are distinct, paying testament to the artist’s exceptional skill.

The subject matter was a popular choice for van Staveren, indicating he was taught, or at least heavily influenced by, the artist Gerrit Dou. Van Staveren held administrative roles in the city of Leiden, even becoming mayor in 1667. This makes his high level of skill even more fascinating as he was able to paint for pleasure, rather than solely for financial gain. Van Severen’s passion for his craft shines through in this work in his careful and considered treatment of the subject matter. 

Samuel Rabin – The Crouched Stance

Our next works jumps forwards in time to modern Britain to a piece by gallery favourite artist Sam Rabin. The Crouched Stance depicts a boxer ready to spring up and deliver a powerful uppercut to an unseen opponent. This work showcases Rabin’s ability to capture the acute physicality and dynamic potential of the moment. Early in his career Rabin had boxed and wrestled as an amateur to fund his art, winning a bronze medal in wrestling at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics so was well versed in such sporting moments.

The use of bold outline and sparing use of colour add to the dynamism of the figure. The simplicity of the only colour used being the bright red of the shorts and the expressive lines make the subject appear as if caught mid-motion.

John Shelley – The White House

Our final work in this month’s acquisitions highlights is The White House by mid-20^th century British artist John Shelley. This glowing symbolist work depicts an English country home bathed in summer evening sun, a bicycle propped against the hedge and a lone figure passing by. Shelley is known for his immensely detailed paintings of quintessentially English scenes, beautifully represented by this work. Leaves are individually depicted, the texture of the road, the bright red of the letter box and the church spire in the distance all provoke a feeling of nostalgia within the viewer. The liminality and symmetry of the work create a sense of serenity, culminating in a meditative representation of post-war rural life in Britain.

These five works only represent a portion of our May and June acquisitions, as well as the gallery’s wider collection. Subscribers to our monthly newsletter receive news of these acquisitions ahead of general release - if you would like details of our new works delivered straight to your inbox every fortnight, then please do subscribe to our mailing list. We look forward to updating you on our acquisitions from July and August and the exciting new works the summer will bring.