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.
Follow our story...
Today's the day!
25 June 2015
The Paston Treasure frame went off to the gilders this morning. Read more
100% funded!
31 March 2015
The re-gilding of The Paston Treasure is now fully funded by Art Happens donors. Read more
Deadline extension
30 March 2015
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 more
The Pastons and their royal connections
26 March 2015
Find out more about Charles II's visit to Norfolk in 1671. Read more
Robert Paston
16 March 2015
Meet the man behind the Paston family's amazing collection of objects, which appear in The Paston Treasure. Read more
Funding and flowers
24 February 2015
Our running total, and another look at The Paston Treasure. Read more
The mysterious third person
10 February 2015
There was originally another person in this painting – who was she, and why was she painted out? Read more
Wood and gold tote bags
15 January 2015
We're thrilled to reveal the design of our £25 reward. Read more
The tortoiseshell cup
6 January 2015
Learn more about the Indian star tortoiseshell cup, one of the stunning natural objects in The Paston Treasure. Read more
Donations update and Blaeu's globe
18 December 2014
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 more
The Strombus Shell Cup
15 December 2014
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 more
A Great Start
10 December 2014
Thank you to everybody who has made early offers of donations. Read more
With thanks to...
Sarah Allatt
London
Elizabeth Walsh
Sheringham
John H G Archer
Stockport
Anonymous
Anonymous
Phil Morris
Norwich
Daphne Roberts
Brampton
Lynn ROBERTS
Tunbridge Wells
Anonymous
Cynthia Gowing
Norwich
Dudley Gore
Broadstairs
Anonymous
Mary Bustin
London
Nancy Ewing
Atlanta
Constance Squire
Vancouver
David Burgess
London
Harriet Loffler
Cambridge
Anonymous
Esther Morgan
Bungay
Caroline Clarke
Norwich
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Anonymous
Nicholas Baring
Marlborough
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Anonymous
Anne Mclean
York
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Stephen Elford
Ilford
Miranda Rowlands
Norwich
Anonymous
Anonymous
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Anonymous
John Drackley
Matlock
Dan Shay
Glasgow
David Rock
Harleston
Anonymous
Anonymous
Vivien Perutz
Cambridge
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Graham Jones
Bracknell
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Loveday Charitable Trust
London
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Catherine Baines
London
Julia Davenport
London
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Sarah Steed
Norwich
Nicholas Ireland
Norwich
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Lesley Taylor
Barnard Castle
Lesley Mulhall
Lowestoft
Helen Wilson
Norwich
Kathleen Middleton
Norwich
Anonymous
Anonymous
Adam Pyke
Dereham
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Sarah Gray
Oxford
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Anonymous
Vicky Diaz-Vilas
London
Sarah A M Turner
Great Missenden
Sheila Day
Norwich
Ann Head
Norwich
Home Education English Group
Norwich
Peter Dawkins
Dorking
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Anonymous
Peter Wilson
King's Lynn
Susan Oswell
Aylesbury
Christina Tilstone
Wolverhampton
Carolyn Young
London
David Hedges
London
Timon Screech
London
Anonymous
Beryl Bowen
Warwick
jane Pettit
King's Lynn
David McDougall
Liverpool
Anonymous
John Drain
Romford
Richard Jewson
Norwich
Roger HESLOP
London
Ian Byrnes
Thrapston
peter sutton
York
Anonymous
Anonymous
John Last
Norwich
Tessa North
Norwich
Keron Beattie
Cromer
Julian Fisher
London
Sonya Leydecker
London
Anne Hickley
Thetford
Janet England
Sale
Annie Brundrit
Norwich
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Anonymous
Katie Phillips
West Bromwich
Anne Peoples
Londonderry
Ian Hill
Woodford Green
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Jo Warr
Norwich
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Kerry Leathley
Norwich
Mary Yule
Norwich
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Lisa Morgan
Norwich
Donna Chessum
Dereham
Lindsey black
Richmond
Catherine Mason
London
eleanor steinitz
Petworth
Helen Pierce
Aberdeen
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Robin Jesson
Norwich
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Margaret Maddison
Newcastle upon Tyne
Joan Luckhurst
Norwich
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Schroder Charity Trust
Norwich
Jennifer Freeman
Norwich
Company of Goldsmiths
Norwich
Lynne Middlemiss
Norwich
Sue Gibbons
Norwich
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Anthony Gordon-Gray
Norwich
Jane Horne
Heathfield
Rachel Cockett
Tenbury Wells
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Liz Dixon
Norwich
Karen Michlmayr
Norwich
Rebecca Fletcher
Epping
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jane le cluse
Billingshurst
Ann Farrant
Norwich
Polly Lansdowne
London
Clare Barker
Diss
Pepita Allsopp
Guildford
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Genevieve Rudd
Great Yarmouth
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Natasha Hutcheson
Dereham
Alex Owen
Evesham
John Ward
Norwich
Deborah Ward
Oldham
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Diana George
Norwich
Dan Kelly
Norwich
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Anonymous
Joanne Shannon
Alcester
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Elinor Andrew
London
Steven Miller
Norwich
Bethan Holdridge
Norwich
Helen Parkin
London
Hazel Flavell
Ashmanhaugh
Jennifer Chamberlin
Diss
Christine Birchall
Norwich
Vanessa Trevelyan
Norwich
Alan Edwards
Norwich
Barbara Suzuki
Norwich
Barry Sharp
Norwich
Neil Powell
Norwich