The U.K. government has imposed a temporary export bar on a mid-19th century marble sculpture by Henri-Joseph-François de Triqueti, depicting sisters Florence and Alice Campbell. The work, valued at £280,000 ($367,000), sold for £117,700 at Lyon and Turnbull auction house in January 2025. The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) intervened on the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art (RCEWA), citing the sculpture's rarity, outstanding aesthetic importance, and potential for scholarly study. The export license is deferred for three months, with a possible six-month extension, to allow a U.K. institution to acquire it.
The bar matters because it highlights the U.K.'s system for retaining culturally significant artworks, especially those with historical and biographical importance. The sculpture is a rare example of Triqueti's medallion portraits and connects to the scandalous life of Florence Campbell, a Victorian-era figure. The case also underscores tensions between private sales, international markets, and national heritage preservation, as the government seeks to keep the piece in the country for public benefit and future research.