Richard III: Portrait coming home to Yorkshire Museum

Coming Home: The picture is on a four-month loan from the National Portrait Gallery

A portrait of Richard III, the last king of the House of York, is set to go on show in the city.

The 16th Century picture by an unknown artist is usually held in the National Portrait Gallery but will be on show at the Yorkshire Museum from Friday.

Lucy Creighton, of the museum, said the king, who died violently in 1485 "remains a well-loved figure" in York.

Found by archaeologists under a Leicester car park in 2012, his remains were later reburied in the city.

Ms Creighton, curator of archaeology, said it was a "rare opportunity" to show the famous picture of the king at the museum alongside one of the country's "finest group of objects associated with Richard III".

Richard grew up at Middleham Castle in the Yorkshire Dales and visited York several times during his short reign.

He died fighting Henry Tudor, the future Henry VII, at the battle of Bosworth in 1485.

After his remains were discovered there was a campaign for the king's remains to be placed at York Minster but it was decided Richard III should be reburied in Leicester.

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Ms Creighton, curator of archaeology, said it was a "rare opportunity" to see the portrait

The artwork, measuring 25ins (64cm) by 18ins (46cm) is known as the red portrait.

While it was painted decades after his death, it is believed to be based on an original done during Richard's lifetime.

The four-month loan from the National Portrait Gallery, is part of the London gallery's Coming Home project to lend portraits to places closely associated with the subjects.

The portrait is on display until the end of October.

The Middleham Jewel, found in 1985, and other articles associated with Richard will also be on show