A gift of 100,000 pounds ($280,000) from a foundation set up by a British Jewish philanthropist assured today that a famous Goya painting will remain in Britain. The painting — a portrait of the first Duke of Wellington –was purchased last June by Charles B. Wrightman of New York, who paid 140,000 pounds ($392,000) for it at an auction at Sotheby’s Gallery.
When the painting was sold to the American, some Conservative members of Parliament urged withholding of the export license needed for shipping the painting from Britain. Mr. Wrightman then offered to sell the portrait to the British National Gallery for the price he paid for it, but the gallery did not have enough money to buy it.
At this point, the Isaac Wolfson Foundation stepped in with its offer and the British Government promised to put up the remaining 40,000 pounds. The Foundation was set up in 1955 by Isaac Wolfson, an Orthodox Jew who founded the Great Universal Stores chain, one of the largest in Britain.
Selwyn Lloyd, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the Wolfson Foundation Gift in Commons last night and the plan of the Government to provide the additional 40,000 pounds. He praised the generosity of the Foundation, which was established to advance education, health and youth activities in the British Commonwealth. Goya painted the portrait after the Duke routed the French at Salamanca in 1812.
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