Much-loved painting of Pontefract Castle to be seen in a different light!

One of Pontefract Museum’s most well-loved paintings is to undergo vital restoration work ahead of a new Civil War exhibition.

The painting of Pontefract Castle by Alexander Keirincx, which has been part of Wakefield Council’s art collections for 50 years, was taken off display today to undergo specialist conservation treatment and be glazed to protect it for the future.

The Keirincx comes off display

Packed by a specialist art and museum transport service -  the painting leaves for conservation

Following conservation work, the Keirincx painting will be on display at The Hepworth Wakefield before its appearance in a new Civil War exhibition at Pontefract Museum in Spring 2015.

Cllr Les Shaw, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, said: “This is one of the most popular and well-loved paintings in the Museum and the restoration work will ensure it can be enjoyed by people now and by future generations.”

While at The Hepworth Wakefield, the painting will be part of a display celebrating the unique heritage of Wakefield and the wider region.

The newly refreshed painting will be display at The Hepworth Wakefield from Saturday 24^th January 2015.

Then it will return to Pontefract Museum as the star attraction for the Civil Wars in Yorkshire exhibition from mid-April 2015.

The new exhibition is funded by the Arts Council England, and will explore the Civil Wars in Yorkshire. With unique civil war objects from the museum’s collections this will be a fitting display for the return of the Keirincx  which will take pride of place.

Keirincx’s painting of Pontefract Castle gives a rare and priceless insight into the past before the Castle was demolished by order of Parliament in 1649. This once grand castle was nicknamed the ‘key to the North’ and according to the National Gallery, the painting is the best example of a painting of a British castle in existence.