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# Grant secures future of historic Erasmus Darwin portrait
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/grant-secures-future-of-historic-erasmus-darwin-portrait/
- Published: 2013-10-09T14:58:13.000Z
- Updated: 2013-10-09T14:58:13.000Z
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Heritage, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:24, News

[![Jospeh Wright's painting of Erasmus Darwin](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/darwin.jpg)](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2009/07/08/valuable-erasmus-darwin-painting-set-to-go-under-the-hammer/darwin/)

Jospeh Wright’s painting of Erasmus Darwin

A bid to keep an historic portrait of one of Lichfield’s most famous sons in the Midlands has been successful.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has agreed to a £97,000 grant to the Birmingham Museums Trust, [according to History West Midlands](http://historywm.com/heritage-lottery-fund-awards-birmingham-museums-trust-97000-grant-to-purchase-joseph-wright-of-derby-portrait-of-erasmus-darwin/?ref=lichfieldlive.co.uk).

The painting, by Darwin’s friend Joseph Wright, was completed in 1770 and had been sold in 2009.

There had been [fears that it could end up in a collection overseas](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2009/07/09/portrait-of-erasmus-darwin-fetches-200000-at-auction/), but the latest grant means the £275,000 portrait will stay in the region.

“This is a hugely important acquisition for Birmingham Museums,” Chris Rice, Head of Heritage Services at Birmingham Museums Trust, told History West Midlands.