A portrait of famous writer DH Lawrence, which is thought to be the last one painted while he was alive, has been brought permanently to Nottingham and put on public display for the first time.
Through generous external grant funding and public donations, Nottingham City Museums has been able to buy the last-known portrait painting of the controversial author from a private collector in the US.
The portrait was painted by the Dutch artist Joep Nicolas in 1929 and has now been put on display at Newstead Abbey.
Nicolas was the brother-in-law of novelist Aldous Huxley, who was a friend of Lawrence.
In 1929, while travelling from Spain to Germany, Lawrence stayed at Huxley’s home in Suresnes, France.
Nicolas was also staying and took the opportunity to paint Lawrence’s portrait.
Lawrence died the following year after earlier diagnoses of tuberculosis and malaria.
A spokesperson for Nottingham City Council, which owns Nottingham Museums, said it managed to buy the painting with funding from the V&A, Arts Council England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, from the city council, said: “It is fundamental to Nottinghamshire’s cultural importance and we believe it will mean a great deal to many people.
“It is also a celebration of Nottingham’s rebellious literary history.
“We are showcasing this collection piece at Newstead Abbey and Gardens, so it can be enjoyed by as many visitors and local residents as possible in the future.”
DH Lawrence, who was from Eastwood, was best known for his novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover, among other works.
The book was famously unpublished in the UK until 1960 for fear of prosecution over its explicit content.
Aside from this, Lawrence was a prolific author of novels, short stories, poems and essays.
Although he enjoyed some success and recognition during his lifetime, he also faced controversy and censorship because of the way his work portrayed sexuality and relationships.
Over time public and critical understanding of Lawrence’s work changed and he is now one of the most significant authors of 20th century literature and his works are celebrated worldwide.
