An imminent sale of important pictures rarely makes me gasp. I suppose I am immune to it. However, the news that the Sutherland Trustees are selling both their great Titians is certainly alarming. They have been on loan to the National Gallery of Scotland since 1945 and have been in Britain since 1798. As far as big fish are concerned these two pictures must constitute the biggest left in private hands, positive leviathans in a dwindling stock pool.

Every day that I visit Edinburgh, in spite of having retired from the National Gallery more than two years ago, I visit the gallery on the Mound, as was my routine for 21 years, and, above all, gaze at my favourite pictures. Unhesitatingly, the two Titians on offer number among my special favourites and rank among the very greatest treasures in Scotland. Four years ago we mounted an exhibition, The Age of Titian: Venetian Renaissance Art from Scottish Collections. In this memorable exhibition the two so-called “poesie” (works of poetry) by Titian stole the show. The poster for the exhibition displayed a detail from Diana & Actaeon, as did the cover of the catalogue.

Only two days ago I was sitting quietly marvelling at these jewels. It never occurred to me that their future in Britain was in doubt, rather that moves were already in motion for acquiring them for continued public engagement.

Sir Timothy Clifford retired as director-general of the National Galleries of Scotland in 2006

Times Archive, 1933: The Bridgewater Titians

'Actaeon' is the most complete and satisfying of the paintings, as it is the one that has suffered least by time

• The conservation of pictures

• Picture: The vapour chamber used by Mr Kennedy North for the conservation of Titian's painting, Diana and Actaeon

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