British Millionaire Buys, Then Donates Religious Paintings

One of Jacob's sons by Francisco de Zuburan

UNITED KINGDOM - A self-effacing multi-millionaire, Jonathan Ruffer, 59, has become a cultural icon here after buying a series of 17th century religious paintings from the Anglican church for 15 million pounds and then giving them back so they can remain on public display and potentially boost art tourism in parts of the rundown northeast of England. In a parliamentary debate on 31 March on the future of the paintings, Member of Parliament Tony Baldry said, "the paintings will be sold to a new trust which will have a specific obligation to ensure their preservation and continued public display at Auckland Castle [see of the Anglican bishops of Durham]. We are immensely grateful to him [Ruffer] for an act of generosity that will ensure continued public access to these works of art in their natural home." Painted by Francisco de Zurbaran, a contemporary of Velazquez and El Greco, the representations of the Biblical patriarch Jacob and his sons have been kept at Auckland Castle at Durham since 1756 when they were bought by Bishop Richard Trevor for just under 150 pounds. [Source: Ecumenical News International]