Portrait inspired by Edgar Allan Poe story now on display at Duff House – Scottish Business News

Henri Martin’s ‘Berenice’ will be exhibited until next summer on loan from National Galleries of Scotland

Henri Martin’s (1860 – 1943) mesmerising painting ‘Berenice’ (1885) is set to go on display in the north-east for the first time.

From today, Thursday, 29 August, visitors will be able to view the painting at Duff House, near Banff.

The French artist’s captivating work was inspired by a short story, Berenice, by the American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) and was probably modelled by his wife, the artist Marie-Charlotte Barbaroux.

First published in 1835, the gruesome tale tells the story of Egaeus who falls in love with his beautiful cousin Berenice.

She suffers from a mysterious debilitating illness, causing her to fall into a trance-like state. As Berenice’s health deteriorates, Egaeus develops intense obsessions, focusing latterly on her teeth.

The girl eventually dies and Egaeus is grief-stricken. He visits her grave, as if in a dream, and later discovers her extracted teeth in a box beside him.

Graeme Curran, Collections Manager for Duff House at Historic Environment Scotland, said:

“We always look forward to welcoming the new loan from NGS each year, and it’s thrilling to be able to unveil such a mesmerising and unique work of art.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors to experience not just this fantastic artwork, but to explore the fascinating setting of Duff House and discover more about this beautiful Georgian mansion.”

Aidan Weston-Lewis, Chief Curator at the National Galleries of Scotland, said:

‘This striking painting is a recent acquisition, and it is quite unlike anything else in the collection. With its spooky background story, it has proved very popular with visitors to the National in Edinburgh.

We are delighted to be sharing it now with audiences in the north-east of Scotland and look forward to hearing their reactions.”

‘Berenice’ by Henri Martin will be on open to view at Duff House on selected dates from Thursday 29 August 2024 to Sunday 24 August 2025.

The artwork is the latest in a series of paintings to be loaned from the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland.

Entry to view the painting is included in the admission price of the guided tour of Duff House. Booking in advance is recommended to guarantee entry.