The Ashmolean Museum, part of the University of Oxford, has raised nearly £4.5 million to save an exceptional Renaissance painting from leaving the UK.
The painting, The Crucifixion with the Virgin, Saint John the Evangelist and the Magdalen, created in the 1420s by renowned Italian artist Fra Angelico, was purchased for £4.48 million after a successful nine-month fundraising effort, culminating on October 29.
This rare work had been held in a private British collection for over two centuries.
However, when an overseas buyer expressed interest, an export bar was applied in January, giving the Ashmolean Museum time to secure the funds to retain the piece within the UK.
Dr. Xa Sturgis, the museum’s director, hailed the acquisition as a “really exciting moment” for the museum and its supporters, noting the artwork’s “beauty” and “emotional depth.”
Art historians believe this painting to be the earliest surviving piece by Fra Angelico, known for his spiritual and evocative works.
Dr. Sturgis highlighted the importance of this piece in understanding Fra Angelico’s evolving approach to the crucifixion theme—a subject he revisited throughout his career.
The Ashmolean, a free-to-visit museum, will also use the painting for educational purposes, enriching the curriculum for Oxford’s undergraduates in history, art history, and theology.
Additionally, the museum plans to include the piece in its educational outreach, which annually benefits over 40,000 schoolchildren.
By acquiring this painting, the Ashmolean Museum continues to safeguard Britain’s cultural heritage and offer the public access to a world-class collection.
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