Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Export of John Constable painting blocked

The British government has blocked export of a painting by landscape artist John Constable to gain time to raise funds to keep the artwork inside its borders. The London government deferred an application to take Constable's "Flatford Lock from the Mill H
|
|
 
  
Published: Nov. 12, 2006 at 5:40 PM

LONDON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The British government has blocked export of a painting by landscape artist John Constable to gain time to raise funds to keep the artwork inside its borders.

The London government deferred an application to take Constable's "Flatford Lock from the Mill House" out of the country, in an effort to keep the painting from leaving England until a way is found to meet the work's more than $5.3 million cost, the BBC said.

The delay was recommended by Britain's Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest and officially ordered by Culture Minister David Lammy.

A spokeswoman for the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council that controls the committee said that the work from the acclaimed artist represents a key aspect of British culture.

"The painting is a unique image in Constable's work which records important features of the local landscape and the workings of the lock at Flatford which are documented in no other work by the artist," she said.

The BBC said that if a serious bid emerges to keep the work in Britain the application can be delayed until May 2007.

Topics: David Lammy, The Local
© 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Entertainment News Stories
1 of 29
Members of the Army's Old Guard place flags at Arlington National Ceremtery
View Caption
U.S. flags are seen in the rucksack of a soldier with the Army's 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, as he places flags at gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Flags-In Memorial Day ceremony on May 24, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. American flags were placed at each of the more than 220,000 grave markers in honor of those who served and Memorial Day. UPI/Kevin Dietshc
fark
The eyes, the giant EYES..... GAAAAH
Delta Airlines begins testing flights with even crappier service
Only in Miami: Police shoot, kill naked man who was EATING A MAN'S FACE
You can get just about anything you want at Afghan markets, including lots of stolen American military...
Chicago Fark Party - 9 June - New bat time, new bat channel
Apparently one of the 11 secret herbs and spices KFC uses is wood harvested from Indonesia's endangered...