Manet portrait saved for the nation
Oxford museum acquires nineteenth century work.
Nearly 拢8 million has been raised by the Ashmolean Museum to buy Edouard Manet鈥檚 Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus and keep it in the UK.
皇冠体育app work had been purchased by a foreign buyer, but 聽by Culture Minister to give British museums and galleries the opportunity to raise funds to keep it in the country.
皇冠体育app Ashmolean鈥檚 campaign received support of 拢5.9 million from the and a grant of 拢850,000 from the . More than a million was raised via grants and donations from trusts, foundations and members of the public.
鈥淥verwhelming response鈥�
Dr Christopher Brown CBE, Director of the Ashmolean, said: 鈥溁使谔逵齛pp public鈥檚 response to the campaign for the Manet has been overwhelming. 皇冠体育app museum is enormously grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Art Fund, other foundations and many individuals who contributed so generously and helped us save Manet for the public.
鈥淭o have succeeded in acquiring the portrait this year, when the UK is in the international spotlight, is something of which the museum and the entire country can be proud.鈥�
Mr Vaizey said: 鈥淚 am delighted that the temporary export bar I placed on the painting has resulted in the Ashmolean being able to acquire this fantastic work by one of the greatest painters of the nineteenth century. I congratulate the Ashmolean on their campaign and it鈥檚 wonderful that Manet鈥檚 painting will now be on public display where it can be enjoyed and appreciated by all.鈥�
皇冠体育app painting is a first version of Le Balcon, one of the key images of the Impressionist movement which is now in the Musee d鈥橭rsay in Paris.
皇冠体育app Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus will be lent to public museums and galleries in a nationwide tour in 2013.