JOHN Piper's colour works on paper go on show tomorrow at Minster Fine Art, York, to coincide with this month's waggon production of the York Mystery Plays.

The selling exhibition comprises signed lithographs and screenprints as well as rare original drawings, and prices start at £850 for screenprints, £750 for drawings.

David Durham, the gallery owner and curator, says: "We're delighted to bring to art collectors and buyers in the north original works by one of Britain's leading artists of the 20th century, which have never been seen before in commercial galleries in York. The last exhibition of Piper's work took place in 1970.

"While our show illustrates Piper's broad range of subject matter and style and his mastery of printmaking, I was particularly keen to curate a show of his historic country house and church works, to reflect the rich architectural heritage of York and North Yorkshire and his fascination with medieval iconography, as seen in his Foliate Heads series."

David is working towards a September exhibition, Piper Re-visited: a selection of specially commissioned paintings and etchings of the interior and exterior of Castle Howard by northern artist Kane Cunningham. "His previous solo show of oils and mixed-media paintings at Minster Fine Art was a great success, and Kane's work has been compared with Piper in both subject and style."

John Piper: Original Drawings And Prints runs from tomorrow until August 6 at Minster Fine Art, The Old Convent House, The Queen's Path, alongside York Minster. Opening hours are Monday and Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm; Sunday, noon to 4pm; closed on Tuesdays. Admission is free.

The Guilds of York's York Mystery Plays are being staged on Sunday and July 16.