UK's bid to save Titian's 'Diana and Actaeon' for public successful

London, Jan 4 (ANI): Britain's fundraising campaign to raise 50 million pounds in four months to buy Titian's 'Diana and Actaeon' has been successful.

But the breakthrough only happened after the Scottish government stepped in with a 17.5 million pounds grant. The purchase will be announced in the next few days.

The grant from the Scottish Executive represents more than a third of the total cost of Titian's masterpiece, almost all the rest coming from other public sources.

The deadline for the masterpiece was 31st December.

Diana and Actaeon had been on public display at the National Galleries of Scotland and London for more than 200 years but was being sold by its private owner, the Duke of Sutherland, reports the Independent.

Now the National Galleries of Scotland have another four years to buy a second Titian painting - Diana and Callisto - from the Duke, who announced in August that he wanted to sell the works from his renowned Bridgewater collection in order to diversify his assets.

Both pictures have been in the duke's family for 220 years and on loan to the National Gallery of Scotland since 1945.

Painted in 1559, they have never been separated. (ANI)