A PAINTING by John Constable described as "one of the greatest masterpieces of British art" has been bought for the nation in a £23 million deal and will go on show in Scotland.

The artwork, titled Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831, will be displayed in Scotland in 2017 after the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) was part of a five-gallery team that applied successfully for more than £15m in lottery funds and a £1m grant from the Art Fund.

It will go on a tour of the five galleries involved in the "Aspire" partnership, including the National Museum of Wales, Colchester and Ipswich museums, Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum and Tate Britain.

From today, the painting, which would have been sold for more than £40m on the open market, will go on view in the Constable room at Tate Britain until the end of the year.

John Leighton, director general of the NGS, said: "The public will be able to see first-hand how Constable inspired artists from across the country."

The NGS already owns one Constable, The Vale of Dedham.

Tate Britain's director, Sir Nicholas Serota, said: "It's one of the quintessential images of 19th century British art and it's worth every penny."

The painting depicts Salisbury Cathedral under both a heavy cloud and a striking arched rainbow from across the River Avon.

The painting has been sold by the family of the late Lord Ashton of Hyde, and galleries in the UK feared it could have been sold abroad.

Sir Nicholas added: "I know there was a major American museum that asked for first refusal."

The painting had previously been on view at The National Gallery in London on long-term loan since 1983.

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows is one of a series of monumental 'six-footer' canvases painted by the artist.

Jenny Abramsky, chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund said: "HLF is proud to be a major funder of this masterpiece.

"Our investment of over £15 million is substantial but reflects the fact that these moments – those that give us the chance to save such a precious and quintessentially British heritage icon – come along very rarely. "It is unimaginable that this particular painting might have ended up anywhere other than in a UK public collection."

She added: " Constable was truly a man of the people who believed that art was for everyone and not the select few and it is very fitting that the innovative approach of the Aspire project will ensure that many more people around the country will get to see and enjoy Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows than ever before. "

Each gallery involved in the purchase will organise public programmes highlighting the painting.

It will first be shown at the National Museum Cardiff in 2014, Colchester & Ipswich Museums in 2015, Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum in 2016, National Galleries of Scotland in 2017 and Tate Britain in 2018.

ends