Never-before-seen works of Golden Age Spanish art have been unveiled in a new exhibition at a North-East heritage site

Hidden Treasures: Spanish Art in County Durham showcases paintings and sculptures covering five centuries of religious iconography.

The exhibition, which is on display at Auckland Castle, in Bishop Auckland, uncovers the stories behind the masterpieces from their arrival in the North-East to their conservation and restoration.

Dr Chris Ferguson, Auckland Castle’s head curator, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring together within Hidden Treasures a small part of the significant collections of Spanish art from County Durham and show them to the public for the first time.

“We hope this heralds the beginning of greater collaboration between us, The Bowes Museum, Durham University and our international partners to bring the best of Spanish art to the region and create a global hub for the appreciation of this highly creative and important medium and culture.”

The exhibition displays side-by-side for the first time pieces from Raby Castle, Durham Cathedral and Ushaw College along with Auckland Castle’s Zurbaran paintings.

The loans include three works by an unknown Spanish artist, that are life-size depictions of St Bartholomew, St Paul and St James the Greater from a group of ten paintings of the Apostles, owned by Durham Cathedral.

The paintings, which have never been on public display before, were looted from Puerto Santa Maria near Cadiz in Andalucia, during an Anglo-Dutch attempt to seize the port in 1702 during the War of Spanish Succession.

They eventually found their way to the North-East when they were given to the Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral in the 1750s – around the same time that Bishop Richard Trevor acquired the Zurbaráns for Auckland Castle.

For more details call Auckland Castle on 01388-743750 or visit aucklandcastle.org