Rye playwright painting appeal
Published on: 10-Jan-2008
South coast town Rye is fighting to keep a valuable portrait of one of its famous playwright sons in the country.Central to the campaign is tearoom, Fletcher's House, which is organising a raffle this Friday, to raise funds to assist the National Portrait Gallery in its efforts to buy the picture of John Fletcher, the son of a Rye vicar.
It is the only known portrait of the playwright, born in the town in 1579, who collaborated with Shakespeare in writing Cardenio, The Famous History of the Life of King Henry VIII and The Two Noble Kinsmen.
The picture is on offer for £218,000 and the funds must be raised by the deadline of January 20th.
Pete Anderson, from Fletcher's House, told the Rye and Battle Observer newspaper: "This is something which has strong Rye links and we are very keen to see the painting remain in the country."
Fletcher, who died of the plague in 1625, was one of the most prolific dramatists of the Jacobean era.
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