Famous Hogarth painting to stay on public display

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-48446264

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A painting by 18th Century artist and satirist William Hogarth will remain on public display in Leicester.

William Wollaston and his Family in a Grant Interior has been at New Walk Museum and Art Gallery for 76 years.

More than £900,000 to keep it in the city was settled through the Acceptance in Lieu scheme, where important works are donated to pay inheritance tax.

About £500,000 was also raised from grants and public efforts, which included a fundraising pug parade.

Born in London in 1697, Hogarth is one of the most recognisable British artists from 18th Century.

His famous works include Beer Street and Gin Lane, which contrasted the honest pleasures of beer with the problems of excessive gin consumption during the Georgian period.

William Wollaston was MP for Ipswich for eight years from 1733, and the work had been handed down through the Wollaston family, which has lived in Leicestershire since 1652.

It will remain on display until 6 September before it is removed for cleaning ahead of a Hogarth exhibition in 2020.

The City of Leicester Museums Trust launched the Save the Hogarth Campaign to keep the artwork in the city.

A parade of pugs in honour of Hogarth - who owned a dog of the breed called Trump - was part of public efforts that brought in about £15,000.

Jim Roberts, chairman of the museums trust, thanked the public for their donations, and the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) and Art Fund for providing grants that were "instrumental" in keeping the painting in Leicester.

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