A PAINTING of the Mansion House, owned by the York City Art Gallery, has been reproduced on postcards to raise money for this year's Lord Mayor's charities in York.

The painting, dating from about 1800, shows a view down Coney Street, beyond the Lord Mayor's residence, and is by York artist Thomas White.

It is not on show at the art gallery because of its fragile condition, but citizens can now get their own copy by buying one of the postcards on sale at The Guildhall.

The idea came from this year's Lord Mayor, Coun Irene Waudby, who is living at the Mansion House this year with her husband, Derek.

She said she and Derek had found the picture in a book on sale in the art gallery shop and asked if they could see it.

"We thought it would be really nice to do something different for the Lord Mayor's charities, and asked if we could reproduce it on postcards," she said.

A thousand postcards, which cost 30 pence each, have been produced, as well as a thousand A5 posters, costing £2.99 each.

"The posters look very nice framed and we had one on show during our last open day at the Mansion House," said Coun Waudby.

"Hopefully we'll raise a few pennies for our charities."

Gallery curator Richard Green said Thomas White was a local artist who was a watercolour painter and drawing master.

He said the painting was an unframed watercolour on paper, and that these kind of fragile paintings were kept in boxes, as a matter of course, by galleries and museums. But he said people were welcome to have a look at it, and any others, by making an appointment. This year's Lord Mayor's charities are St Leonard's Hospice and Age Concern (York).

Updated: 11:24 Monday, August 27, 2001