Export Licences

A flag from polar explorer Captain Henry Kellett (1806-1875) has been barred from export in the hope £120,000 can be raised to keep it in the UK.

Sir Joshua Reynolds’ portrait of Omai has been blocked from export to give institutions time to raise the funds to keep it in the UK and the National Portrait Gallery is leading the efforts.

A 17th century example of Lombard art has been blocked from leaving the UK in the hope an institution can raise the £2m to keep it here.

The UK government has placed a temporary export bar on a James Tissot picture in the hope a UK buyer can be found to pay £2.4m and keep it in the country.

A temporary export bar has been placed on a Nicolas Poussin picture in the hope a UK buyer can be found to pay £19m and keep it in the country.

A Michelangelo (1475-1564) drawing previously declared a ‘National Treasure’ in France will be offered at Christie’s following the expiry of its export block.

Two European pictures have been temporarily stopped from being exported from the UK in the hope buyers can be found to keep them in the country.

A pair of group portraits by artist Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807) have been temporarily blocked from export in the hope a UK buyer will pay the £1.5m needed.

A buyer in the UK is sought to pay £50m for Sir Joshua Reynolds’ (1723-92) portrait of Pacific Islander Omai.

A temporary export bar has been placed on an early 17th century manuscript of lute music in the hope a buyer in the UK can be found.

The government has placed a temporary export bar on a still-life painting by a Dutch artist in the hope a UK buyer will pay £6m to keep it in the country.

An export block has been placed on a portrait of the future King William IV painted during the American Revolutionary war, in the hope a UK buyer can be found.

The UK government has issued a temporary export bar for a rare 17th century painting depicting a black female sitter alongside her white companion.

The UK government has issued a temporary export bar for a gold finial that once adorned the throne of Tipu Sultan (1750-99).

A dozen items deemed national treasures were bought by institutions between May 2018 and April 2020 with a value of £7.6m, according to the latest report.

A rare Renaissance roundel has been temporarily blocked from export by the UK government in the hope a buyer in the UK will emerge.