AN historic painting which campaigners fought to return to Burnley will be officially unveiled at Towneley Hall tonight.
Staff faced with finding the £49,000 asking price for a portrait of John Towneley raised £38,000 and this year revealed they still had a shortfall of £11,000.
Groups including the National Arts Collection Fund, Victoria and Albert Fund, Towneley Hall Society and Edward Stocks Massey helped raise £38,000 towards the cost.
But the Heritage Lottery Fund came to the rescue at the last minute to ensure that the painting of John Towneley (1697-1782) - the third son of Charles Towneley - was returned to its rightful home.
The pastel portrait by Jean Baptiste Perronneau, one of the great French 18th Century pastellists in 1849, had hung in the hall until the family moved out in 1901.
It has been in private collections since but went back on public display on Friday.
The portrait will be unveiled at a private viewing at Towneley Hall at 8pm tonight.
Towneley Hall is open Monday to Thursday, 10am to 5pm; Saturday and Sunday, 12pm to 5pm, and is closed on Friday.
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