Christie's Illegal Export

The Art Newspaper reports that Christie’s illegally exported this Rubins oil sketch of The Hunt of Meleager and Atalanta (1630s) from Britain to New York, due to a cock-up by a junior employee. It seems Christie's obtained a temporary export licence so the sketch could be shown in New York prior to being auctioned in London, but the junior employee thought it was a full export licence. Culture Minister Margaret Hodge has deferred an export licence for the work, despite the fact that it is now in New York and its buyer, who paid over £3m for it in 2005, refuses to return it to the UK and cannot be compelled to do so. Fancy raising £3.3m for an unobtainable work of art? Walk on water, Ms Hodge!