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East Yorkshire doctor's surgery displays £3.6m painting

BBC Artemisia Gentileschi portraitBBC
The self-portrait was bought by the National Gallery for £3.6m in 2017

A £3.6m painting from the National Gallery is hanging on the walls of an East Yorkshire doctor's surgery.

The self-portrait by 17th Century female artist Artemisia Gentileschi is on loan to the Pocklington GP's office as part of a scheme to display art in "unexpected venues".

Special viewing sessions will be held so that non-patients in the market town can see the artwork.

The painting will be on display in the surgery until 11 May.

Gentileschi was born in Rome in 1593 and started painting in her teens.

She was the first woman to become a member of the Academy of the Arts of Drawing, the artists' academy in Florence.

The painting was bought for the nation in 2017 and underwent five months of restoration work before going on display.

Director of the National Gallery Dr Gabriele Finaldi said the response by the public to the exhibition had been "superb".

"The National Gallery has never done a tour like this; taking a masterpiece to unexpected venues where it can be enjoyed by people who may not be able to see it in Trafalgar Square."