Do you have the Midas touch?
The Paston Treasure, (Dutch School, c.1670s, oil on canvas) is one of Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery’s rarest and most famous paintings, popular with visitors of all ages. It was painted by an unknown Dutch artist at Oxnead Hall in Norfolk around 1670 and portrays some of the treasures collected by the famous Paston family. These objects are dispersed around the world but the painting has always stayed in Norfolk, a vital part of the county’s heritage.
Research has shown that the ornately carved frame was in all likelihood made for the painting, but it would not have looked like this in the 17th century. It would have been gilded – the dazzling finishing touch to the depiction of a dazzling collection. Six years ago, we raised money to have the painting cleaned and conserved. Now we want to re-gild the frame and restore this masterpiece in its entirety to its former glory.
This is the ideal moment to go for gold. We at Norwich Castle are planning, in partnership with the Yale Center for British Art in the USA, a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition – to bring together as many of the Paston treasures as we can and reunite them with this picture for the first time in 350 years. To prepare for this major exhibition planned for 2018, we want the painting to look as it did when it was new, and as the artist intended – with the frame this remarkable painting deserves.
Gold has an eternal mystique and appeal. Robert Paston, the original owner of the collection and the painting, practised alchemy. He spent his life trying to understand the mysteries of nature, and trying to make gold. We now know this is impossible, but to turn this wooden frame into gold is easy – all we need is your help! To gild a frame, fragile sheets of gold leaf are carefully laid onto a prepared surface. Why not become a modern day alchemist and help us turn this frame gold, piece by piece?
Take a closer look at The Paston Treasure below.
A Great Start
Thank you to everybody who has made early offers of donations... Read moreThe Strombus Shell Cup
In preparation for our exhibition, we're looking at all the treasures in the painting, trying to find out more about them – starting with the magnificent Strombus Shell Cup... Read moreDonations update and Blaeu's globe
We've already reached £400 from a total of 20 donors. Thank you very much to everyone who's started the ball rolling! In our latest update, we look at another magnificent treasure from the painting... Read moreThe tortoiseshell cup
Learn more about the Indian star tortoiseshell cup, one of the stunning natural objects in The Paston Treasure... Read moreWood and gold tote bags
We're thrilled to reveal the design of our £25 reward... Read more
The mysterious third person
There was originally another person in this painting – who was she, and why was she painted out?... Read moreFunding and flowers
Our running total, and another look at The Paston Treasure... Read moreRobert Paston
Meet the man behind the Paston family's amazing collection of objects, which appear in The Paston Treasure... Read moreA remixed Paston Treasure
A group of local children recreate the painting... Read more
The Pastons and their royal connections
Find out more about Charles II's visit to Norfolk in 1671... Read moreDeadline extension
Our project is 93% funded with just a few hours to go – to ensure we hit our target, we've decided to extend our project deadline... Read more100% funded!
The re-gilding of The Paston Treasure is now fully funded by Art Happens donors... Read moreFor funders only
More news on the Paston Treasure
The more you look... the more there is to see... Read moreFor funders only
Gilding update
We now have a date for the frame to go to the gilding workshop!... Read moreToday's the day!
The Paston Treasure frame went off to the gilders this morning... Read moreFor funders only
A chance to look afresh
Seeing The Paston Treasure from a new angle... Read moreFor funders only
A visit to the gilder's workshop
The Paston Treasure's frame is almost complete. Here's an insight in the gilding process – a technique that has hardly changed since the 15th century... Read more
For funders only
The re-gilded Paston Treasure
The gilding of the frame is complete, it's back with the picture and it looks great – have a look... Read moreWith thanks to...
Elinor Trigg
Margaret Maddison
John Archer
Neil Powell
Clare Barker
Victoria Diaz-Vilas
David Goldser
Stephen Elford
Lindsey Black
R Eaton
Judy Vaknin
Jennifer Dooge
Hugh Bain
Peter Sutton
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Kathleen Middleton
Esther Morgan
Anne Peoples
Adam Pyke
Clive Cotton
Rosy Gray
Janet England
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Lesley Tollett
Helen Pierce
Anthony Gordon-Gray
Mary Yule
Francesca Vanke
Kerry Leathley
Jane Pettit
Sarah Gray
Graham Jones
Paris Agar
Joan Luckhurst
Margot Chappell
Richard Jewson
John Drain
Michael Lilley
Maggie Jesson
David Harding
Lavender Patten
Anne Mclean
E Elliot
Sophie Forgan
Lesley Taylor
A Robb
Dorothy Phillips
Susan Gibbons
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David Rock
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Ann Farrant
Liz Dixon
Alan Edwards
Lynne Middlemiss
Lisa Morgan
Vanessa Trevelyan
R Heslop
Helen Mcginty
Carolyn Young
Christina Tilstone
Sarah Steed
Catherine Baines
Jackie Rodger
David Bowen
Jane Le Cluse
Bishop Of Norwich
Harriet Loffler
Elizabeth Holt
Mary Bustin
Daphne Roberts
Susan Oswell
Simon Muirhead
Katie Phillips
John Last
John Drackley
Richard Lewis
Judith O'Shea
Shaw Warnock
Angela Fogg
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Elizbaeth Rivington
Bethan Holdridge
Helen Parkin
Christine Birchall
Barry Sharp
Jennifer Chamberlin
Polly Lansdowne
Barbara Suzuki
Hazel Flavell
Joanne Shannon
Kathleen Churchley
V Perutz
Sarah Turner
Lesley Mulhall
Caroline Clarke
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Nicholas Steinitz
Rebecca Fletcher
Patricia Waters
Martyn Woollett
Jo Warr
Lynn Roberts
Anthony West
Patricia Parkes
Ian Byrnes
Joan Rees
Richard Debenham
A Nelki
J Davenport
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Keith Morris
Alexandra Owen
Pepita Allen-Jones
Peter Dawkins
Nicholas Baring
Judith Hodgson
Sarah Gore
Charlotte Blake
David Burgess
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