A HISTORIC painting depicting a family scene from the 18th century has been brought to life - thanks to expert detective work.

The 1740 picture by Joseph Nollekens, which shows a well-to-do family playing cards in their house's saloon, is now back hanging in Fairfax House, York, after it was lent out to York City Art Gallery for an exhibition.

While it was away, the attraction's director Peter Brown was visiting another stately home near Salisbury when he found the actual chair depicted in the painting. It inspired him to research the rest of the work and he has now come up with a host of interesting facts Fairfax House can now pass on to visitors. "It was fantastic to find that what we are looking at in the picture is actually real," he said.

"It's great to have it back with this extra information we can supply to visitors."