The recently-opened Spanish Gallery in Bishop Auckland has borrowed Dalí's remarkable Christ of St John of the Cross from the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow, and is exhibiting it alongside it's own Christ on the Cross by El Greco, with the intention of provoking discussion. I intend to take up the challenge, particularly as the Gallery's founder - and chief funder - Jonathan Ruffer has said that he wants to 'put the cat into catalyst - as well as among the pigeons'.

 As well as 'comparing and contrasting' (as any good A-level student should) we will also consider the paintings in the context of the artists' careers, as well as - very briefly - introducing the Gallery itself.

The catalyst for its foundation was, in this case, Ruffer's purchase of twelve paintings by Zurbaran - showing Abraham and eleven of his Twelve Sons - which had been owned by the Bishops of Durham since the mid-18th century. By 2010, the Church of England had realised  that it no longer needed them, unlike the money they could raise from their sale. This is the beginning of a remarkable story, which will form a third strand for this particular session.