A PUBLIC event to celebrate a museum’s acquisition of a rare painting will be held on December 7.

The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, recently announced it has acquired Bouts’ painting, St Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child.

A programme of free events on the day will be held and includes admission to the rest of the museum.

The event will start with a gallery talk by Bernadette Petti at 10.30am which will be followed by a Silverpoint drawing workshop at 11am.

At 12.30pm, a watercolour landscape workshop will be delivered which will be followed by a gallery talk by Howard Coutts at 1.30pm.

A lecture by Dr Jeanne Neuchterlein, of York University, entitled St Luke as an Artist in the 15th- Century Netherlands will then be given in the Jubilee Room at 4pm.

Dr Neuchterlein will examine the painting’s knowing visual references to other important artworks by painters such as Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden.

At 5.30pm, a joint lecture by Rachel Billinge and Britta New, from the National Gallery, will be given which is called The Study and Conservation of Early Netherlands painting and Dieric Bouts.

Questions in front of the painting in Room 31 with a wine reception from 5.30pm for a 6pm talk will then be taken.

To book a workshop place call 01833-690606.