A Connoisseur's Eye: Prints from the Tomory Collection

A Connoisseur's Eye: Prints from the Tomory Collection

Exhibition Details

Although many art lovers have collected prints, not all made the leap from amateur to connoisseur. In the 18th century the English adopted the French term connoisseur, to know (now connaisseur); to describe a person of taste informed about art. Gradually, however, the term evolved to define a person whose specialised knowledge moved beyond the realm of the mere enthusiast.

Peter Tomory's interest in prints commenced before the Second World War. In Germany in 1937, and then as a post-war art history student in Edinburgh, he studied and worked alongside some of the greatest scholars of the day, finding equal satisfaction in both historical European works and the far-reaching developments within Modernism.

These interests directly influenced the way the Gallery's print collection flourished between 1956 and 1965, his term as director.

Tomory began collecting prints during his years teaching at La Trobe University in Melbourne, both for his own pleasure and because he recognised their value as teaching aids for students denied ready access to the great collections of Europe. He dealt with a number of London dealers, but it was his relationship with Christopher Mendez which proved the most lasting. The latter writes; 'I recall that [Peter] came to Europe for study purposes, possibly sabbaticals and for other reasons every couple of years and, being a very sociable and outgoing man, we would always have meals together and became good friends… When he decided to retire to England I began to see him more often, visiting him in Wareham and accompanying him to exhibitions in London on his visits. He continued to add to the collection for many years'.

This exhibition demonstrates Tomory's passion for 16th and 17th century Italianate works on paper, whether landscapes or on classical or religious themes. Although but a sample of the recently acquired collection, they are a fitting demonstration of a connoisseur's eye

Date
Curated by
Mary Kisler
Location
Main Gallery
Cost
Free entry

Related Artworks

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Not on display

Veduta di Piazza Navona sopra le rovine del Circo Agonale  (View of Piazza Navona above the ruins of the Circus Agonalis [Circus of Domitian])
Veduta di Piazza Navona sopra le rovine del Circo Agonale (View of Piazza Navon...

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Production date
circa 1750
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
489 x 710 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/86
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Not on display

Artemis
Artemis

Unknown artist

Production date
Unknown
Medium
marble
Size (h x w)
393 x 300 x 180 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Moss Davis, 1929
Accession no
1929/9/5
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Not on display

Seated man and two magicians
Seated man and two magicians

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Production date
1750-1760
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
226 x 176 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/112
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Not on display

The Genius of Salvator Rosa
The Genius of Salvator Rosa

Salvator Rosa

Production date
circa 1662
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
461 x 276 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/100
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Not on display

Landscape with a rock arch and men stoning a snake in the foreground
Landscape with a rock arch and men stoning a snake in the foreground

Marco Ricci

Production date
1723-1730
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
263 x 368 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/98
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Not on display

Herd Returning in Stormy Weather
Herd Returning in Stormy Weather

Claude Lorrain

Production date
circa 1650-circa 1651
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
163 x 220 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/55
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Not on display

Landscape with a lute player in a boat
Landscape with a lute player in a boat

Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi

Production date
1630-1680
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
345 x 475 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/77
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Not on display

The alliance of Peace and Abundance
The alliance of Peace and Abundance

Bartolomeo Coriolano

Production date
1627
Medium
woodcut
Size (h x w)
214 x 154 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/62
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Not on display

The Philosopher Diogenes searching for an honest man
The Philosopher Diogenes searching for an honest man

Giovanni Castiglione

Production date
1645-1650
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
220 x 312 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/46
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Not on display

Love conquers all (Omnia vincit Amor)
Love conquers all (Omnia vincit Amor)

Agostino Carracci

Production date
1599
Medium
engraving
Size (h x w)
124 x 185 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/43
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Not on display

The Flight into Egypt
The Flight into Egypt

Sébastien Bourdon

Production date
mid 17th century
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
227 x 191 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/25
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Not on display

Apollo pursuing Daphne
Apollo pursuing Daphne

Cherubino Alberti Polidoro da Caravaggio

Production date
1590
Medium
engraving
Size (h x w)
220 x 145 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/89
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Not on display

Allegorical figure holding a sphere
Allegorical figure holding a sphere

Giorgio Ghisi

Production date
circa 1565
Medium
engraving
Size (h x w)
243 x 136 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/65
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Not on display

The dream of Aeneas
The dream of Aeneas

Salvator Rosa

Production date
circa 1663-circa 1664
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
371 x 260 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/103
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Not on display

The Genius of Castiglione
The Genius of Castiglione

Giovanni Castiglione

Production date
1645-1647
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
373 x 248 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/47
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Not on display

Mars, Venus and Cupid
Mars, Venus and Cupid

Simone Cantarini Paolo Veronese

Production date
circa 1638
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
267 x 199 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/38
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Not on display

The return of Jacob
The return of Jacob

Sébastien Bourdon

Production date
circa 1637-circa 1640
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
273 x 198 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/23
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Not on display

Landscape with three men by a river
Landscape with three men by a river

Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi

Production date
circa 1640
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
331 x 457 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/76
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Not on display

The Holy Family with a palm branch
The Holy Family with a palm branch

Laurent de La Hyre

Production date
1639
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
257 x 187 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/78
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Not on display

Albert, companion of Saint William of Maleval
Albert, companion of Saint William of Maleval

Salvator Rosa

Production date
1661
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
341 x 225 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/102
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Not on display

The fall of the Giants
The fall of the Giants

Salvator Rosa

Production date
1663
Medium
etching
Size (h x w)
733 x 478 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/101
View Artwork

Not on display

The lute player
The lute player

Antonio da Trento Parmigianino

Production date
1520-1550
Medium
woodcut
Size (h x w)
140 x 135 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Peter Tomory Collection, purchased 2004
Accession no
2004/30/118