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ARTS NEWSCOMPILED BY SIMON TAITFAIRFAX HOUSE SAVES MASTERPIECE BY GRINLING GIBBONSMUSEUMS JOIN ARTS COUNCIL PORTFOLIOAn extraordinary piece of research by the director of Fairfax House in York, Hannah Phillip, has brought an early masterpiece by the pre-eminent English wood carver Grinling Gibbons into the museum’s permanent collection.Philip was researching Gibbons online for the current exhibition, Made in York (until 12 November) and saw a sale notice for his King David panel, one of Gibbons’s earliest works (pictured right). She tried to trace it with a view to borrowing it for the exhibition, but discovered that it had just been sold. Not to be deterred she persuaded the buyer, a UK dealer, to forestall selling on until she had researched possible funding to buy it for Fairfax House. With the help of the Art Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and V&A Purchase Grant Fund and voluntary donations, the £300,000 purchase price was reached. It is currently in the exhibition.Grinling Gibbons (1648-1720) was barely 20 when he settled in York to work for architect John Etty, working in limewood rather than the more traditional oak. The King David panel (measuring 37cm by 24cm) was made in high relief at this time. Inspired by Psalms 148 and 150, it may have been in the Fairfax family collection in the 17th and 18th centuries, but was in a private collection, out of the public gaze, through the 20th century. Not only has this precious work of art been saved for the nation, but it has also returned to city in which it was made.Some 66 regional museum organisations (representing over 200 museums) have been included in the Arts Council’s national portfolio for the first time. It gives them fixed funding for 2018–2022 and a total investment of £146.5m. Among the attractions are the SS Great Britain, Woodburn Museum in Northumberland and Norwich Castle (as part of Norfolk Museums Service).Left: Jug commemorating the death of Nelson, c1805. On view as part of the Nelson & Norfolk exhibition at Norwich Castle until January 7, 2018ARTS NEWS27The Arts Society ReviewAutumn 2017IMAGES: FAIRFAX HOUSE; NORFOLK MUSEUMS SERVICE