The extraordinary story behind Manet's portrait of his only pupil Eva Gonzales, placed within the broader context of women painters of the period Edouard Manet (1832-1883) only ever had one formal pupil, Eva Gonzales (1849-1883). The daughter of a prominent writer, she entered Manet's studio aged 19. He portrayed her the year they met and exhibited the ambitious full-length portrait at the Paris Salon of 1870, at which Gonzales also displayed her own work, for the first time, to positive reviews. The first in a new series of Discover titles, in which a single work of art in the National Gallery's collection is reconsidered from a fresh perspective, this book reveals the extraordinary story behind Manet's portrait by examining it in the context of women's artistic practice in nineteenth-century Paris, Gonzales's development as a professional painter, and Manet's career in 1870. Combining new art historical research with engaging essays on women artists and their representation in visual culture, Discover Manet & Eva Gonzales provides a richly illustrated, in-depth study of Manet's portrait and offers a groundbreaking viewpoint on both artists. Published by National Gallery Global/Distributed by Yale University Press Exhibition Schedule: Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin June 1-September 18, 2022 The National Gallery, London October 21, 2022-January 15, 2023

Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers are seen by many as icons of Western European art. Two of these masterpieces - the first version painted in August 1888 (The National Gallery, London) and the painting made after it in January 1889 (Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam) - have been the subject of a detailed comparison by an interdisciplinary team of experts. The pictures were examined in unprecedented depth using a broad array of techniques, including state-of-the-art, non-invasive imaging analytical methods, to look closely at and under the paint surface. Not only the making, but also the subsequent history of the works was reconstructed, including later campaigns of restoration. The study's conclusions are set out in this book, along with the fascinating genesis of the paintings and the sunflower's special significance to Van Gogh. More than 30 authors, all specialists in the field of conservation, conservation science and art history, have contributed to the research and publication presenting the outcomes of this unique project.

The latest in this annual bulletin based on research carried out at the National Gallery, London, draws on the combined expertise of scientists, conservators, and curators, bringing together a wealth of information about artists' materials, practices, and techniques. The cleaning and restoration of The Adoration of the Kings by Botticelli and Filippino Lippi reveals its unusually complex physical and attributional history. The relining of Van Dyck's equestrian portrait of Charles I is described, an operation that posed certain challenges due to its large size; at the same time the records of conservation of this painting offer a potted history of lining at the National Gallery. The recent cleaning of Jan van Eyck's Portrait of a Man ("Leal Souvenir") has shown that it retains an original surface coating that may explain its excellent condition. And finally, Leonardo's Virgin of the Rocks offers new discoveries from macro XRF scanning and hyperspectral imaging, which extend our knowledge of the evolution of the painting during its production. Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press