TATE LAUNCHES RARE PUBLIC APPEAL TO SAVE TURNER WATERCOLOR

The Tate has launched its first public appeal in two decades, to save The Blue Rigi, a watercolor by J. M. W. Turner, for the UK, reports Louise Jury for The Independent_. The gallery must raise £4.95 million ($9.8 million) by March 20 to match the price that was paid by a private bidder at auction last year and keep the painting in Britain. A grant application is to be made to the government’s National Heritage Memorial Fund, a fund of last resort for treasures of national importance. Ian Warrell, a curator and Turner expert, added: “In terms of the Turners that we would ever want, this is right at the very, very top. This has always been on the list.”