AUCKLAND CASTLE reopens to the public on Monday with new guidebooks, tours, a children’s trail and a tearoom, and new exhibits to add to the glory of the building, its magnificent parkland and, of course, its Zurbaran paintings.
April is very much a trial month for the castle, with new items going live to the public every week so that everything is properly in place for the tourist season to begin in May. The castle team is after feedback, and to encourage local people to go and have a look, in next Saturday’s paper there will be a “two-for-one” offer which means an adult’s admission is just £4.
One of the new features is the exhibition of recent acquisitions in the King Charles Room. One of these is a print of The Great Hercules, by Dutch artist Hendrik Goltzius.
“It was made in 1589 and it is one of the biggest and most famous prints that this artist produced,” says curator Clare Baron.
It shows the Greek god in his full naked glory with representations of his labours behind him: he can be seen defeating the giant Antaeus and wrestling with the river goddess Aschelous.
Most interesting of all from an Auckland perspective is that new research suggests that in the 1640s, Francisco de Zurbaran used The Great Hercules as a starting point when he was painting his superlarge series showing Jacob and his 12 sons – it is this series that the Bishop of Durham bought in 1756 and built a wing of Auckland Castle around.
Zurbaran is known to have borrowed heavily from Dutch printmakers and art historians are pointing to the similarities in the pose between The Great Hercules and Gad, Jacob’s eighth son.
The Great Hercules is coming from London and it is hoped he will be on display for April 14.
Starting on April 1, the castle will be open on Sundays and Mondays, from 11am to 4pm – see next Saturday’s paper for the half price offer.
From May, the castle will be open every day except Tuesday, from 10.30am to 4pm.
ANOTHER feature vying for your attention over Easter is the Durham Heritage Centre and Museum, North Bailey, Durham City, which is open from 2pm to 4.30pm every day. There’s lots of local history on view, including stained-glass windows depicting Richard III’s parents, who had connections with Brancepeth Castle.
For further details, call 0191-386-8719 email or visit durhamheritagecentre.org.
uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here