Rubens sketch to stay in UK (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) - An important sketch by Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens valued at over 11 million pounds will be on permanent public display in Britain after being bought by private, public and charity funds. The Tate gallery, which spearheaded the campaign to keep the oil sketch off the open market, announced on Wednesday that the necessary funds had been raised just in time to beat the September 30 deadline. The vendor also agreed to drop the asking price by 300,000 pounds to help the deal go through, the gallery added. The sketch dated between 1628 and 1630 was an early planning tool for nine large panels by Rubens that adorn the ceiling of the Banqueting House in central London and depict King James I variously sitting in judgement and ascending into heaven. The ceiling panels were painted in Rubens's Antwerp studios,... [read full story]