A famous Glasgow painting has arrived in Spain after leaving the city for the first time in over 70 years.

Salvador Dalí's Christ of St John of The Cross has belonged to the city since 1952 when the Glasgow Corporation purchased it for £8200.

While the decision to purchase the painting was a controversial one at the time and considered too expensive, today it is thought to be worth over £60 million and visitors pile into Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum to see it.

Glasgow Times:

But now it has left the West End gallery to go on display in Teatro-Museo Dalí in the artist's hometown of Figueres, Spain.

It will remain there until April 2024 in a first-ever loan. 

A spokesperson for Kelvingrove said: "Today Dali’s famous painting Christ of Saint John of the Cross goes on display at the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Spain.

"Returning to Dali’s native country for the first time since it was painted in 1951, the artwork forms the centre of an exhibition exploring its creation by the Surrealist master.

"Normally on display in Kelvingrove, the painting was a controversial purchase by Glasgow Museums in 1952. Today it is one of the city’s most beloved artworks.

"The exhibition, which includes previously unseen archival material, runs until the end of April 2024."

 

People in Glasgow however will not be able to see the painting until June of next year, as the precious painting has to be prepared for travel. 

A spokesperson for Kelvingrove previously said: "The painting hasn’t been seen in Spain since 1952, when it was shown in Madrid and Barcelona, shortly before being acquired for Glasgow and coming to Kelvingrove.

"The loan to Figueres is an important opportunity for Glasgow Life Museums to be part of a significant exhibition exploring the work of Dali and the creative process behind this iconic painting."