British businessman and art collector James Stunt has loaned Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) five portraits by European masters Anthony van Dyck, Peter Lely, Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Lawrence, and John Constable. Van Dyck’s portrait of Francois Langlois, a French art dealer, publisher, and amateur musician, as an itinerant performer is on view in the museum’s Leo and Phyllis Beranek Gallery. Lely’s portrait of the notorious entertainer and socialite Moll Davis is on view in the MFA’s Hamilton Palace Room. The works by Reynolds, Lawrence, and Constable will be installed next week.
Stunt, who has homes in Los Angeles and London, is an avid collector of British portraiture. He recently offered to buy van Dyck’s last self portrait, which he planned to loan to the MFA, but an outpouring of public support to keep the painting in England caused Stunt to withdraw his offer. there is currently an ongoing public fundraising appeal to purchase the painting so that it will remain on view in the U.K.
Malcolm Rogers, the MFA’s Ann and Graham Gund Director, said, “We’re extremely grateful to Mr. Stunt for sharing these important portraits with the MFA. The works complement the MFA’s collection of European portraiture, giving our visitors added insight into art of the period and providing an opportunity to see artists that are not found in great depth in New England collections.”
