The UK government has placed an export bar\u00a0on\u00a0a Rembrandt painting valued at \u00a371m, making it \u201cthe\u00a0most expensive\u00a0object\u00a0ever\u00a0to be given national treasure status\u201d, says the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).<\/p>\n
Portrait of Catrina Hooghsaet\u00a0(1657) is \u201cone of the artist\u2019s\u00a0most exceptional later works\u201d says the government. The painting, which has been in the UK since the mid-18th century, was sold at Christie\u2019s in a private sale last year. The painting by the Dutch master depicts Catrina Hooghsaet, a wealthy member of the Mennonite community in Amsterdam who unusually lived apart from her husband. The portrait also features her pet parrot, which was included in her will.<\/p>\n
The export bar, which allows time for a UK gallery or institution to acquire the painting, will initially expire on 26 December, after which the owners will have 15 business days to consider any offers at the recommended price, followed by a second deferral period of nine months. <\/p>\n
The work is otherwise at risk of leaving the country, unless a domestic buyer can be found to save it for the nation. \u201cCases like this remind us of the public value of museums having dedicated acquisition funds, as they used to,\u201d says Bendor Grosvenor, an art historian and columnist at The Art Newspaper<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arts\u00a0Minister Ruth Mackenzie\u00a0says in a statement: \u201cThe Portrait of Catrina Hooghsaet\u00a0has been part of the UK\u2019s cultural life for centuries. The scale, beauty and history of this masterpiece make it a priority for cultural partners, funders, philanthropists and lovers of Rembrandt to help this masterpiece keep its historical place in the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n