In the last years -more accurately, in the last decades- the art market has suffered a radical change in its protagonists. The economical recuperation, added to the boom in the popularity of painting -specially the modern and contemporary one- have turned the roles in sales and auctions: the museums are now unable to compete with private buyers, who pay unreachable prizes for the most wanted works of art. The museums are now obliged to choose carefully its acquisitions, and in many occasions they must be helped by governmental helps or private sponsors.

Ignoring economical matters -obviously I'm not informed about the economical situation and the financial system of every museum in the world- theArtWolf has suggested to the main museums in Europe and the United States one artwork that would enrich its wonderful collections.

Of course, except one of two cases that I'll not reveal, I have no hope that these works could be acquired by its assigned museum. Although all of them are in private hands, many are not for sale, and its owners seem not willing to let them go. Also, my elections can be considered ridiculous by many people. Nevertheless, here they go:

MUSEO DEL LOUVRE - Paris, France

JEAN AUGUSTE DOMINIQUE INGRES: Caroline Bonaparte, princesa of Murat, queen of Napoli, 1814 (private collection, New York)

What the hell is doing this wonder in private hands? It's incredible that a masterwork like this had been out of the public view for almost two centuries, but that's right: it was lost little time after it was painted, and was not recover until the end of the last century. Apart from weird stories, the picture is an absolute masterwork, one of the two or three best portraits by Ingres. The princess stands, elegant and majestic, in front of a large window whose horizontals and verticals smartly organizes the composition. The splendour of the lady seems to ridicule even the menacing Vesubio, perfectly framed by the window's lines. A masterwork worthy of the world's best museum. Talking about the Louvre, I was tempted to suggest a Velázquez (intolerable absence in the Parisian museum) but I can't find any work by the Spanish master still in private hands worthy of such a fabled institution.

MUSEO DE ORSAY - Paris, France

CLAUDE MONET: Poplars au bord de l'Epte, 1891 (private collection, USA)

Well, I can't be objective with this work. With no doubt, it's my favourite Monet, and I consider it one of the most beautiful paintings in the world. The composition so beautifully resembles the beauty of a Japanese haiku , asymmetric and touching, while the poplars leaves sings in red, purple, and ending in a blue that would make Yves Klein green with envy. It's Monet in his full bloom, and a perfect acquisition to the Orsay, the Mecca of the impressionism.

NATIONAL GALLERY - London, UK

GEORGES DE LA TOUR : Quarrelling musicians, 1625-30 (private collection)

I love the National Gallery. I consider it the model to every great museum of the world due to its smooth running (free access and a fabulous organization) and a clever acquisitions strategy that has make it an authentic Art Encyclopaedia, with the arguably most complete collection of western painting of the world, without any lack. Nevertheless, there are still a bit "holes" to fill, as the absence of the French painter Georges de la Tour , who is beginning to obtain the recognition he deserves as the peak of the tenebrism. It's still possible to acquire an important picture by this master, and te "Quarrelling musicians" is an example. Hurry up!

PRADO MUSEUM - Madrid, Spain

FRANS HALS: Portrait of Isabella Coymans, c.1650-52 (now in a private collection)

Talking of acquisitions, the Prado is an atypical case among the others museums of the world. Instead of use the economical funds on those fields of the collection that can be considered "incomplete" (flagrant lacks in the early Italian renaissance), its acquisitions are destined to enrich its fabulous collections of Spanish and Flemish painting (for example, Velázquez's "El barbero del Papa" or the recent acquisition of the Crucifixion by Juan de Flandes) continuing the taste of the 17 th and 18 th century Kings. Balancing both ideas (complete vs. enrich) I suggest a work by an artist who is not represented in the museum, and also would enrich the great collection of Dutch painting.

GALERIA DEGLI UFFIZZI - Florence, Italy

SANDRO BOTTICELLI: Story of Nastagio degli Onesti - 4th panel (private collection, possibly in Florence)

Every work by Botticelli must be in Florence, and, if possible, in the Uffizzi. This quite radical and unquestionable approach makes me to suggest this panel, adding two advantages: it's the only one panel from the "Nastagio" story still in private hands, being a very different composition than the other three (in fact, it's a perfectly independent work). Also, the fact of being owned by an Italian collector will keep foreign buyers away, making its acquisition much easier.

RIJKSMUSEUM - Amsterdam, Netherlands

HYERONIMUS BOSCH:"The paradise" and "death of the condemned" (private collection, New York)

As far as I know, the Rijks has no work from Hyeronimus Bosch, an intolerable lack for what is claimed to be the world's best collection of Flemish and Netherlandish painting. The two works suggested are small in size, but they posses all you can find in a genuine Bosch: colourful, devout imagery, some irony and even a certain macabre surrealism.

NATIONAGALERIE - Berlin, Germany

CASPAR DAVID FRIEDRICH: The cuirassier at the forest, 1832 (private collection, Bielefeld)

The Nationalgalerie has the opportunity to do with Friedrich what the Tate did with Turner or the Prado with Velázquez: an author that by himself "makes a museum". This work, which could proudly hang besides the "Lonely tree" or the "The monk in front the sea", is, even with its small size, a fabulous example of the beauty and charm of the romanticism, and a National Heritage.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF WASHINGTON - Washington, USA

ASHER BROWN DURAND: Kindred spirits, (Warner collection)

Too obvious? That's why I have chosen it. The most beautiful work of the American painting well deserves to be owned by a public collection, although the fact of no public institution had found $35 million to its acquisition shows a flagrant lack of interest. It's also a fabulous work to the Metropolitan, which will also return the painting to New York, but its acquisition by the NGA would assure it as a public heritage.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART - New York, USA

FRA ANGELICO: Madonna and child with a bunch of grapes (private collection, formerly in the Matthiesen Gallery)

This is an exceptional panel, one of the very best still in private hands, which had been wandering in the art market from a long ago. As far as I know, the Met has a lonely Fra Angelico, much inferior in quality than this one.

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MOMA) - New York, USA

JEAN BUGATTI: Bugatti T57 SC Atlantic, 1938

You don't expect this, do you? One of the biggest achievements of the MOMA had been the inclusion in its collection of artistic fields not accepted by other museums, and the acquisition of the most beautiful piece of automotive Art would be another triumph in its list of achievements.