A PORTRAIT of a freed slave that could have been lost to the nation will go on show at the National Portrait Gallery today before being transferred to Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum next year.

It was feared the 1733 portrait of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo, painted by William Hoare of Bath, would be taken out of the country when it was bought by a Middle East museum in 2009.

However, an export ban was put on the work after it was bought by the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) for £500,000.

The NPG raised the money to keep it in the UK but the QMA exercised their legal right to buy it and then agreed to lend it to the NPG for five years.

The International Slavery Museum is hoping to show the painting in Liverpool and it will also be placed on display in exhibitions around Britain, including Leicester and in Qatari capital Doha.

NPG director Sandy Nairne says: “This is a good example of international co-operation between museums, which will extend the opportunities for people to understand the importance of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo. It is a portrait that sheds new light on cultural and intellectual exchanges in the first half of the 18th century.

“We are extremely grateful to all those people who were so enthusiastic about the appeal, and we will be following up to return funds.

“I am very pleased that everyone will be able to see this fascinating painting on the walls of the gallery and on tour.”