Although the National Portrait Gallery soon secured large grants from several donors, including some from the United States, it also had setbacks. In 2019, the museum turned down a $1.3 million donation from the Sackler family’s charitable arm. Although the National Portrait Gallery eventually raised enough for the renovation, it has struggled in other fund-raising drives. It is widely considered one of the most important portraits of a person of color in British art history. The trans-Atlantic collaboration was “hopefully a good blueprint” for other museums struggling to buy masterpieces, Hilliam added.

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Persons: Ramos, Cullinan, ”, Joshua Reynolds’s “, Mai, Sarah Hilliam, Hilliam Organizations: Sackler, Purdue Pharma, Paul Getty Museum Locations: United States, London, Los Angeles