J PAUL GETTY MUSEUM ACQUIRES TURNER PAINTING FOR $45.10 MILLION

THE J PAUL GETTY MUSEUM ANNOUNCED RECENTLY THAT IT MADE A SUCCESSFUL BID OF $45.10 MILLION, AT AUCTION ON JMW TURNER'S MASTERPIECE PAINTING 'MODERN ROME - CAMPO VACCINO'. THE AUCTION TOOK PLACE AT SOTHEBY'S IN LONDON ON 7.JULY. ONE OF THE GREATEST PAINTINGS BY TURNER TO COME ON THE MARKET, 'MODERN ROME - CAMPO VACCINO' HAS ONLY HAD TWO PREVIOUS OWNERS IN ITS 171 YEAR HISTORY AND WAS MOST RECENTLY ON VIEW AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF SCOTLAND WHERE IT WAS ON LONG-TERM LOAN. IT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, VIRTUALLY UNTOUCHED SINCE TURNER FINISHED IT, AND STILL IN ITS ORIGINAL FRAME. TURNER'S PAINTING SHOWS A VIEW OF ROME FROM THE CAPITOLINE HILL, AS IF LOOKING FROM HIGH IN THE AIR DOWN UPON THE CAMPO VACCINO IN THE CENTER OF OLD ROME, REVEALING THE NOBLE RUINS SURROUNDING THE ANCIENT FORUM AND A NUMBER OF STILL-ACTIVE BAROQUE CHURCHES. IN THE FOREGROUND, THE SCENE IS TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED BY A GROUP OF CONTEMPORARY WOMEN, THEIR CHILDREN AND GOATS AND A GATHERING OF MONKS IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH OF SANTI LUCA E MARTINA. 'MODERN ROME -CAMPO VACCINO' JOINS THREE OTHER WORKS BY TURNER ALREADY IN THE GETTY MUSEUM'S COLLECTION. ONE OF TURNER'S MOST IMPORTANT HISTORICAL PAINTINGS, 'VAN TROMP, GOING ABOUT TO PLEASE HIS MASTERS, SHIPS A SEA, GETTING A GOOD WETTING', WAS ACQUIRED BY THE MUSEUM IN 1993. THE MUSEUM ALSO OWNS TWO WATERCOLOURS BY THE ARTIST: CONWAY CASTLE, NORTH WALES AND 'LONG SHIPS LIGHTHOUSE, LAND'S END'.