Museum's bid to retain Old Master

A Cambridge museum has held a special launch event in London to highlight a bid to buy an old master.

The Fitzwilliam Museum is attempting to raise around £4m to buy Nicolas Poussin’s masterpiece Extreme Unction. Poussin was said to be the greatest french painter of the 17th century.

The painting is valued at £14m but has been offered to the museum for £3.9m thanks to a Government scheme.

A launch event is being held at the National Gallery in London today.

So far the appeal has raised half-a-million pounds, but the museum needs to raise the rest by November.

More details on the fund can be found on the museum website