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Rockwell's 'Lincoln the Railsplitter' bought for $1.6 million

The Norman Rockwell painting "Lincoln the Railsplitter," which shows a young Abraham Lincoln before he became U.S. president, will be shown in public for the first time in years after being bought by a museum for $1.6 million (€1.2 million).

The Butler Institute of American Art bought the painting Nov. 30 in a sale at Christie's Auction House in New York. The previous owner was Texas billionaire and former presidential candidate H. Ross Perot.

The acquisition was announced Sunday. The painting will be unveiled Feb. 16.

"This is the biggest event in my 25 years at the Butler, in terms of adding to the collection," said Louis Zona, director of the Butler.
Read entire article at AP