S OXON: A temporary export ban on a 14th century painting has been placed by Wantage MP and culture minister Ed Vaizey.
Giovanni da Rimini’s Left Wing of a Diptych with Episodes from the Lives of the Virgin and other Saints was sold at a Sotheby’s auction to an unknown foreign bidder in July for £5.6m.
But Mr Vaizey has refused to let it be exported, and if a UK buyer can be found to pay the same price it can remain here.
He said: “This is an incredibly rare and beautiful painting in exceptionally good condition, it would be a great shame if it were lost to the nation.
“I hope serious efforts can be made to raise funds for a matching offer to keep the painting here in the UK where it belongs.”
The decision on the export licence has been deferred until January 28.
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