The UK government has issued a temporary export ban on Howard Hodgkin’s painting "Mrs Acton in Delhi" (1967–71) following its record-breaking £1.7 million sale at Bonhams. The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) intervened after the buyer applied for an export license, triggering a deferral period that allows British museums or galleries until June 4 to match the auction price and keep the work within the country.
This intervention underscores the painting's status as a national treasure under the Waverley criteria, cited for its aesthetic importance and its role in documenting Hodgkin’s transition toward his signature abstract style. The case mirrors recent successful efforts by UK institutions, such as the Hepworth Wakefield, to reclaim significant modern British artworks from international buyers, highlighting the ongoing tension between the global art market and national heritage preservation.