The historic Gothic Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham faces a eleven-day deadline to raise another £12,000 to purchase a rare and highly-significant portrait of Horace Walpole as a child, by the renowned artist William Hogarth, Nub News can reveal today.

The campaign, called Help us Bring Horace Home and supported by the Art Fund, has already raised 49% of the fund required to enable the house to acquire the painting from a private collection. The National Heritage Memorial Fund has generously awarded £115,000 and the Art Fund £90.000 to meet the total cost of £230.000 by April 14.

The Strawberry Hill Trust has an opportunity to buy the painting from the private collection as it has been offered to the nation in lieu of death duties. However, the painting has been valued at more than the tax due which means there is the £230,000 funding gap.

Horace Walpole, the son of Britain's first prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole (1676-1745) grew up to be a politician, writer and influential art collector. His 18th century creation of Strawberry Hill, is one of the best known examples of Gothic revival architecture in the world as well as home to an important collection of paintings and objects.

Derek Purnell, Director of Strawberry Hill House & Gardens, said: "We need to raise £25,000 to purchase a rare and highly significant portrait of Horace Walpole as a child by renowned painter William Hogarth so it can return to public view here at Walpole's 'little gothic castle.'

"This portrait is of exceptional interest for two reasons. It's the earliest surviving oil portrait of Walpole and a rare example of Hogarth's early mature pictorial work. It also is the earliest known commissioned picture of an identifiable sitter by Hogarth and his first know portrait of a child.

"If we're successful in raising £25,000 to buy the brilliant piece we'll be able to bring this treasured painting back to the house for public enjoyment.

"The value of this painting lies in the fact that it allows us to celebrate Walpole and Hogarth at the same time, their contributions to the 18th century British art world and their relationship.

"Both Walpole and Hogarth, in different ways, challenged the prevailing 18th century classical ideal in art and played a defining role in shaping an authentically English school of painting and architecture, with their ideas having a considerable impact on subsequent generations."

The painting, which is 17 inches by 14 inches, was actually commissioned by Horace's father Sir Robert when his youngest son was aged 10 and a pupil at Eton. It depicts the young Horace in a landscape pointing at a sundial with a Cupid statue pointing to the Roman numeral X (ten) on the dial. The playful spaniel in the foreground is one of a long line owned by Horace thought his life.

According to The Art Fund: "Given the artist, subject, context, and provenance of this painting, it is very much a work of national and international importance

"Walpole once famously said:" 'My buildings, like my writings, are of paper, and will blow away ten years after I am dead.'

"Fortunately, this has not proven to be the case and today we able to celebrate this flamboyant and remarkable character at Strawberry Hill House. Your help will mean we'll be able to bring this artwork home and ensure both Hogarth and Walpole's creativity can continue to inspire future generations. Thank you for your support."

How to donate here.

Watch the video appeal here.