Zurbarán Update

Last March I reported on investment manager Jonathan Ruffer's buying a set of paintings of Jacob's twelve sons by Francisco de Zurbarán (1640-1645) for £15m and giving the set back to the Church of England as a gift through his newly created Zurbaran Trust (CLICK). Mr Ruffer has now withdrawn from the deal, citing "insurmountable" conditions imposed on the sale by the Church Commissioners (title link). This puts in jeopardy the development of Auckland Castle as a major cultural and tourist resource for the Northeast. Will the fat cat Church Commissioners relent or let the whole deal go down the plughole?