Global context · September 7, 2026

Musée d’Orsay and Art Gallery of South Australia Expand Collections with Historic Acquisitions

Two notable acquisitions have enriched museum collections this September: a distinctive French ceramic mask at Musée d’Orsay and the first Tudor portrait of Queen Elizabeth I to enter an Australian public collection at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

In early September 2026, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris received a significant gift to mark its 40th anniversary: an enamelled stoneware mask created by French sculptor Jean Carriès around 1890. This mask exemplifies a fusion of French Gothic revival aesthetics and Japanese ceramic influences, reflecting Carriès’s exposure to Japanese art at the 1878 Paris Exposition. Known for his technical experimentation with glazed stoneware, Carriès produced this piece after relocating in 1888 to Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye, a village renowned for its pottery tradition.

Meanwhile, the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide announced the acquisition of a 16th-century portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, painted by an unknown artist of the British School around 1565. This oil on panel painting, measuring 37 by 27 centimeters, is notable for its engaged frame, carved from the same wood as the painted surface. The portrait features Elizabeth holding a prayer book and includes a verse attributed to the queen herself: “Christ was the word that spake it: He took the bread and brake it: And what his word did make it: That I believe and take it.”

This acquisition marks the first Tudor portrait of Queen Elizabeth I to enter an Australian public collection. The gallery plans to display the painting alongside a portrait of Elizabeth’s father, King Henry VIII, enhancing its historical narrative of the Tudor dynasty.

Both acquisitions highlight the ongoing efforts of museums to diversify and deepen their collections with works that offer rich cultural and historical insights. The Carriès mask connects French artistic innovation with cross-cultural influences from Japan, while the Elizabeth I portrait provides a rare glimpse into Tudor iconography within the Australian public museum context.

These additions not only celebrate artistic heritage but also expand public access to significant works, fostering greater appreciation of diverse artistic traditions and historical periods. The Musée d’Orsay and the Art Gallery of South Australia continue to strengthen their roles as custodians of cultural memory through these carefully selected acquisitions.

Why it matters

The Musée d’Orsay’s acquisition of Jean Carriès’s ceramic mask enriches its collection with a unique example of late 19th-century French sculpture influenced by Japanese art, underscoring cross-cultural artistic exchanges. Simultaneously, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s first Tudor portrait of Queen Elizabeth I broadens the representation of British Renaissance art in Australia’s public collections, offering audiences new opportunities to engage with Tudor history and portraiture. Together, these acquisitions enhance public access to important cultural artifacts and reflect museums’ commitment to preserving diverse artistic legacies.

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