The Dorset Museum is frantically working to raise £3.5 million (approximately $4.4 million) to purchase an exceptionally rare 15th-century religious triptych that is scheduled to be auctioned in December. The artwork, which depicts five miracles of Christ, was discovered to be extraordinarily valuable when it was moved to Sotheby's for safekeeping during renovations at St. John's Almshouse in Sherborne, Dorset.
Experts have identified the three-panel altarpiece as the only surviving work of an unknown painter who was active in Brussels during the 15th century. The artwork has been valued between £2.5 million and £3.5 million by Sotheby's auction house. What makes this piece particularly significant is that it has survived more than 500 years of religious purges and political upheaval while remaining in the almshouse chapel, likely never leaving Dorset county.
After discovering the artwork's immense value, the charity that operates St. John's Almshouse decided to sell the piece to fund new accommodation for people in need. The almshouse had to close its 19 retirement accommodation units in 2023 after they became financially unsustainable. Chairman Richard Hunt explained the difficult decision, saying, "With the sale of this artwork, we have an important opportunity to protect the work that the charity can do for generations to come."
Dorset Museum is now asking the Arts Council for a temporary export deferral, which would prevent the artwork from leaving the country and give the museum additional time to raise the necessary funds to keep it on public display in Britain. Museum executive director Claire Dixon acknowledged the enormous challenge ahead, noting that while the museum has previously used export deferrals for artifacts worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, they have never attempted to raise millions.
"The scale is enormous, I don't know if we are going to be able to do it but I just think, what are we here for if we don't try?" Dixon said. She emphasized the artwork's local significance, adding, "I don't think it has ever left Dorset - its significance to the county is really important." The piece would become the earliest artwork in the museum's collection in terms of paintings, and Dixon noted that they currently have no objects or artworks related to the Reformation period.
With less than two weeks remaining until the scheduled auction, the museum has launched a multi-pronged fundraising effort that includes applying for grants and starting a crowdfunding campaign. Dixon said she had coordinated with other local cultural institutions, including the Sherborne Museum and The Sherborne Arts Centre, to ensure they were "fully supportive" of the effort and to avoid any conflicts.
If the fundraising campaign proves successful, the museum has indicated it would consider displaying the triptych in Sherborne, honoring its centuries-long connection to the area. The race to save this remarkable piece of medieval art represents not only an effort to preserve cultural heritage but also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by historical institutions in balancing preservation with financial sustainability.
