Face value

Pompeo Batoni 1708–1787
National Gallery, until 18 May

The first impression offered by the Batoni exhibition in the Sainsbury Wing is one of dullness. I tend to do a quick reconnaissance of any show before starting the serious work of looking in detail, in order to gauge its range and extent, and my initial response was not optimistic. Why Batoni? was an early and abiding thought. I had already mentioned to an acquaintance on the way in that I had never before seen a Batoni exhibition, and a passer-by overhearing this, who happened to be leaving the gallery, remarked direly, ‘You’ll see why you’ve never seen one when you get in there.’ It was not perhaps the most auspicious of introductions.

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Pompeo Girolamo Batoni was born in Lucca, the son of a goldsmith, and won early praise for his abilities in the decoration and engraving of precious metals.