In a bid to save more national art treasures from leaving the country, the UK government has announced plans to strengthen the export licensing system. Continue reading
Easter Island Mayor surprises by opposing return of stolen statue
Keep the statue you stole from us 150 years ago, the Mayor of Easter Island has told London’s British Museum. Continue reading
The Emperor Hiding in Plain Sight
It is nearly a year since we began following art historian and provenance researcher, Silvia Davoli, in her quest to unearth the lost treasures of Strawberry Hill. In this eleventh instalment of our blog series a simple case of mistaken identity leads Silvia to discover a rare painting of a young Emperor Charles V, which Walpole never knew he possessed. Continue reading
Sotheby’s ordered to allow inspection of expert correspondence in ongoing case against Mark Weiss Limited
On Monday (26 November), the Court ordered Sotheby’s to allow inspection of its correspondence with experts, in a case concerning a painting described as by Frans Hals, but which experts later determined was a counterfeit. Continue reading
Goods mortgages – an explosion in art-lending? – Update
The Goods Mortgages Bill was introduced as a private member’s bill yesterday (29 November) by Lord Stevenson. Continue reading
Artist plans to whitewash a Banksy following half million pound sale
A month since a Banksy self-destructed after passing under the hammer at Sotheby’s, another work by the elusive street artist has sold for £561,000 (including buyer’s premium) to a buyer who has vowed to whitewash it. Continue reading
Jewish art dealer’s descendants refuse to buy back Nazi-looted portrait
“We want our looted work back. Full stop”, the descendant of Jewish art dealer and victim of Nazi spoliation, Paul Rosenberg, has told the New York Times. Continue reading
Artist hacks street signs in Edinburgh to the public’s delight
Britons are well-accustomed to the exploits of street artist Banksy. Now another artist is contending for a place in their hearts with his playful transformations of the humble street sign in Edinburgh. Continue reading
Mob boss masterminded the Isabella Stewart Gardner art heist
A mob boss killed in prison last week was key to the notorious Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft, a private investigator has speculated. Continue reading
Are you the mystery owner of the missing Gothic Table?
Launched on 18 October at Strawberry Hill House, the ‘Lost Treasures of Strawberry Hill’ exhibition is now open to the public to explore and immerse themselves in Walpole’s world of darkly glamorous ‘gloomth’. The opening of the exhibition marks an exciting new chapter in our series retracing the treasures from Walpole’s lost collection. In this tenth instalment, art historian and provenance researcher, Silvia Davoli, appeals to a mysterious guest who attended the opening night of the exhibition, claimed to own a missing gothic table, which once sat in the Great Parlour at Strawberry Hill and disappeared without a trace. Continue reading
Art Law & More 