ON Monday I visited an exhibition of magnificent Romanian icons at York Minster, displayed for sale by the artist who painted them and the Romanian Orthodox priest who has accompanied him.

I found these two gentlemen with their icons in semi-darkness at the west end of the Minster, largely ignored.

No prices were displayed on the icons, nor was there any indication that they were for sale.

So I was not surprised to hear very few of the icons had been sold and there had been little interest in the exhibition.

The artist had sold none of his work for more than a year in Romania in an effort to build up sufficient work for his exhibition in York.

Father Cipriano, the priest who supported him, had borrowed £1,000 to pay for their visit here (his salary is £70 a month). They are both somewhat unworldly and know nothing of salesmanship.

Their journey by bus through Europe was horrendous, to say the least. Given all that, I would have expected whoever arranged the exhibition would have given them help, advice and support to ensure everything was done to make their exhibition a success.

It should have been better advertised; they should have been given a lighter and more prominent area in the Minster, or elsewhere if necessary and prices should have been displayed.

York is projected as one of the foremost tourist cities of Europe. Surely we can do better than this, out of Christian hospitality if nothing else.

Incidentally, given the difficulties of taking the icons back to Romania by bus, the artist is looking for someone to handle the icons and to sell them in England on his behalf. Any interested gallery owners should visit the Minster.

The exhibition closes on Sunday.

Dennis Wombell,

Menthorpe, Selby.

Updated: 11:35 Saturday, March 12, 2005