Dylan Thomas portrait bought by National Art Gallery
- Published
Dylan Thomas and artist Augustus John first met in the mid-1930s at the Fitzroy Tavern in London
Poet and writer Dylan Thomas is to be "reunited" with his wife in his hometown.
A portrait of the famed author, painted when he was only 23, will go on display at Swansea's Glynn Vivian Art Gallery next year.
It will be placed next to a painting of his wife Caitlin Macnamara.
The piece, made by renowned artist Augustus John, has just been bought by the National Portrait Gallery for £214,750.
Dylan Thomas married author Caitlin Macnamara in 1937
The Coming Home scheme is part of a project to loan 50 portraits from the gallery's national collection to the places with they are closely associated.
Jenni Spencer-Davies, curator at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, said: "Coming Home has a special resonance not only for the poet returning to his home town, Swansea, but he will also be joining the Portrait of Caitlin who became his wife at this time in 1937.
"We are incredibly grateful to the National Portrait Gallery for bringing Dylan and Caitlin back together, captured at this special moment in time by Augustus John."
Dylan Thomas died in New York City, aged 39, in 1953.
The National Portrait Gallery's was given financial support from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund and The Thompson Family Foundation for the purchase.
Its director Dr Nicholas Cullinan said the gallery was delighted to own "one of the finest portraits of Dylan Thomas".
Thomas's most famous work - Under Milk Wood - was adapted into a film in 1972 starring Hollywood A-Listers Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
Thomas's relationship with Caitlin was the subject of 2016 film Set Fire to The Stars, which featured Elijah Wood and Welsh actor Celyn Jones.
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