 More than a million pounds needs to be raised to get the painting back |
A campaign to keep an historic painting in the East Midlands is closer to reaching its goal thanks to a grant for �750,000. The painting of the Arkwright family by the Derby artist Joseph Wright is under threat of being sold and taken out of the country.
Until the 1920s the portrait of Sir Richard Arkwright's son hung in the dining room of Willersley Castle in Derbyshire, near the mills at Cromford where the industrialist made his fortune.
To get it back to the county for good, more than �1m needs to be raised by August.
But Christopher Charlton, from the Arkwright Society, has acknowledged the Lottery grant has certainly helped.
He said: "It's going to be a race against time, but obviously a contribution as large as this one gives you hope.
"We believe the grant is going to send a message to those who may be contemplating helping us that it really is worthwhile."
The painting is hanging in the Tate gallery in London at the moment, but it is hoped that in a couple of months' time it will be back in the county where it was created.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
