Art Fund Pledges £200,000 to Save Tapestry
October 31 2023
Picture: uk.news.yahoo.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A campaign to raise £4.1m to save Henry VIII's Burning of the Heathen Books Tapestry has received a generous pledge of £200,000 from the Art Fund. The campaign is being run by the Auckland Project, as it hopes to redisplay the work in its recently opened Faith Museum in Bishop Auckland.
According to the press report:
If the campaign is successful, visitors will be able to see the tapestry alongside artefacts closely associated with these tumultuous years - including a rare copy of Tyndale’s New Testament, and a portrait of Sir Thomas More in the last week of his life.
Auckland Castle itself has a historical link to Henry VIII via his advisors Cuthbert Tunstall and Cardinal Wolsey, both Prince Bishops of Durham.
Jenny Waldman, director of art fund, said: “This exquisitely detailed tapestry is the only surviving example of nine tapestries commissioned by Henry VIII. We have a unique opportunity to bring it back to the UK after being considered lost for almost 200 years.
“I can’t think of a better home for this monumental tapestry than The Auckland Project’s new Faith Museum, and I’m delighted we’ve been able to support their campaign to acquire it, building on a decade of support for the charity.
"This has only been possible thanks to Art Fund's generous donors and members, who I urge to visit The Auckland Project."
