Wednesday

Canaletto Art Export Reprieve

A bar on two Canaletto paintings being sold abroad has been extended following an offer to buy the art masterpieces. The deadline to purchase the art has passed but the government has now deferred this to 20 June. Experts told the Department for Culture, Media and Sport the paintings were of such national importance it should try to keep them in the UK. About £6m is needed to match an offer received from abroad to ensure the paintings remain.The National Art Gallery has called on the government to set up an emergency fund to prevent them going abroad, saying museums do not have the money to save art for the nation. For the full story - click the title Irish Art