Generous Attributions: Renaissance Masters and the Formation of British Collections.
One of the privileges of living in Cambridge is having access to the small but fine Fitzwilliam Museum, located at a short walking distance from my college. The collections might not be as large or as impressive as those of London or Oxford, but it is a good spot where to get a good dose of beauty when in need, despite some of the dubious display of contemporary art in the Italian gallery which I found quite a bit out of place. It is while walking in that gallery, trying not to get distracted by the more modern additions… that I found myself pausing repeatedly and noticed something which captured my eyes. Some of the Renaissance paintings attributed to great Italian masters, while fine, they did not seem to visually completely match the style or expertise of the artists they were attributed to. Some of them certainly seem like competent executions, but certainly not exceptional, and without the confidence or refinement that one might expect from a great master. For me, it became increa...
