I've kept rather quiet about the Damien Hirst sales – partly because it's not to do with art but with commerce, partly because I think we devote quite enough space to Hirst, Emin and, god help us, Banksy.
It just strikes me that with the £111.4m realised from the two auctions of Hirst's stuff at Sotheby's, the National Gallery and the National Galleries of Scotland could purchase the outstanding Titians – Diana and Actaeon, and Diana and Callisto – that the Duke of Sutherland is putting up for sale to the nation for £50m each.
Hirst, a man already rich beyond the dreams of most mortals, would become a national hero, the nation would have safeguarded two masterpieces at no cost to the taxpayer, and the world would become a marginally better place.
And there would be a lovely irony involving the feudal landed gentry being patronised by a working-class self-made artist from Leeds.
Mark Getty, the chairman of the National Gallery, said yesterday that Hirst would indeed be approached as part of the fundraising effort, so he'll have every opportunity to do the decent thing.
