YORK.- Full life-size recreations of paintings from the National Gallery and York Art Gallery will transform the streets of York into a gallery for the next 17 weeks. A total of 49 works – 45 from the National Gallery and four from York – will be hung around the city in the most unexpected and unusual places.

Masterpieces from Monet to Van Gogh, Ramsay to Carracci will be lighting up the bustling streets of York’s historic city centre, celebrating the richness and diversity of the permanent collections housed at the National Gallery and York Art Gallery. The Grand Tour in York aims to encourage people to visit the genuine works, and many more, for free.

Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench is delighted her home town of York is becoming an outdoor gallery over the summer months. She said:

“Being from York myself, I cannot think of a more deserving city to receive this magical gift. The Grand Tour in York is a truly brilliant initiative that reproduces extraordinary works of art and makes them readily available to the local community to enjoy at their own leisure.”

One particular recreation of an iconic National Gallery painting will bring some colourful history to the streets of York, as the original is on display just minutes away at York Art Gallery. The world famous 'Whistlejacket' by George Stubbs was painted in 1762, three years after the horse enjoyed his most famous victory at York Racecourse. York played a vital role in Stubbs’s life as the city in which he lived and found motivation early on in his career.

The Grand Tour in York has been made possible as a result of the collaboration between the National Gallery, HP and York Art Gallery.

The paintings have been reproduced to such perfection through innovative imaging and printing solutions from HP. Steve Gill, Vice President and managing director, HP UK & Ireland said:

“It’s fantastic to be involved in such a creative project. Our imaging and printing capabilities have enabled us to support the National Gallery and York Art Gallery with the Grand Tour in York, by producing and showcasing high quality colour reproductions of these priceless masterpieces.”

Each picture will be in a replica frame, and have an information plaque next to it – just as it has in the real Gallery.

A map of the entire Grand Tour in York including a selection of ‘mini-tours’ along with further information about the paintings, the story of how the project came about, audio downloads and a picture gallery are all available on www.thegrandtourinyork.org.uk

National Gallery Director Nicholas Penny commented:

“I am delighted that the long-standing alliance between the National Gallery and HP has expanded to include York Art Gallery and I am sure people in York will be just as thrilled as those in London to find great masterpieces in unexpected places around the City of York.”

Janet Barnes, CEO of the York Museums Trust, added:

“Everybody at York Art Gallery has seized this great opportunity to bring the Grand Tour to York and work in collaboration with the National Gallery and HP. The Grand Tour in York will add to the history, culture and heritage that the city already has to offer and we look forward to welcoming people from all over the world to enjoy showcases of our very own local treasures, including ‘A scene from The Careless Husband’ by Philip Mercier and 'Jean Abercromby, Mrs Morison of Haddo' by Allan Ramsay.”