The Friends of the Harris Museum and Art Gallery are supporting
the Gallery’s bid to purchase a portrait of Prestonian, Richard Arkwright,
by Joseph Wright of Derby. They are determined to bring it to Preston!
Arkwright was one of the greatest pioneers of the industrial revolution and
invented the water-frame in his home town of Preston. The painting would be a
hugely important acquisition, helping visitors from all over the world to
understand Preston’s place in textile history. The Harris is fund-raising
jointly with the National Portrait Gallery, London, to raise the £420,000
to purchase the painting. If the bid is successful, the painting, jointly
owned, would be displayed successively in Preston and London. If it is not
purchased by the two galleries, the likelihood is that it would pass to a
foreign buyer and would leave the country. Greta Krypczyk-Oddy, the Chairman of
the Friends and also President-elect of Soroptimist International, Preston,
hosted a coffee morning to launch the appeal. The Preston club are celebrating
their 70th Charter and decided to support their local museum in this bid. Every
contributor to the appeal will be invited to a special preview and will receive
a limited edition Arkwright postcard. For further information visit the
website: www.harrismuseum.org
|
