Beit Foundation welcomes resolution which sees major Dutch painting move to Ulster Museum

Culture
14 Dec 17

There is a happy ending to a schnozzle between the UK Revenue and Customs and the Alfred Beit Foundation, with an agreement being reached which ensures that a major painting by the Dutch master Jacob van Ruisdae will be made available to the public in the Ulster Museum.

The Alfred Beit Foundation today announced that it has reached an agreement with the Arts Council of England(ACE), the Commissioners of Britain’s Revenue and Customs and the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on death duties related to Sir Otto Beit.

HM Revenue and Customs has accepted an arrangement where a painting owned by the Alfred Beit Foundation can be gifted to the Ulster Museum in Belfast in lieu of the significant £1 million estate duty taxes. The painting to be transferred to the Ulster Museum is The Cornfield by Jacob van Ruisdael.

In a statement issued today, Ms Judith Woodworth, Chair, said the Beit Foundation is very pleased that the matter has been resolved and the painting will be displayed on the island of Ireland.

“This is a win-win for everyone involved,” she added. "We are very grateful for the support of the Acceptance in Lieu Panel, of the British Government and HM Revenue and Customs. It is fantastic that the painting will be displayed in Belfast, spreading the Beits’ fabulous legacy across the island of Ireland. It also resolves a financial issue for the Foundation which has been committed to Russborough’s restoration. The Foundation continues to develop an endowment fund to support Russborough House and Estate and works to achieve this.”

The painting, The Cornfield, by Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/29-c.1682) was offered by the Trustees of the Alfred Beit Foundation in lieu of tax and has been allocated to the National Museums Northern Ireland for display at the Ulster Museum, Belfast.

The subject of The Cornfield featured in many of Ruisdael’s works, one of which is at the National Gallery of Ireland. Acquired more than a century ago by Sir Otto Beit (1865-1930), The Cornfield joined a considerable collection of Old Master works assembled by his relative, the diamond magnate Alfred Beit (1853-1906). In 1930, the collection passed to Otto’s son Sir Alfred Lane Beit (1903-1994), who relocated it some twenty years later to Russborough House, Co. Wicklow, where The Cornfield hung in the Saloon alongside other Dutch paintings.

The Cornfield was stolen from Russborough three times between 1974 and 2002 but recovered on each occasion.