[Евгений]

British fans of paintings by William Turner failed to collect 5.4 million pounds to buy a landscape Villa Pope at Twickenham, the American buyer, acquired this painting in July 2008, at auction Sotheby's. The government blocked the export of paintings for a few months, but the necessary sum has not been collected, reports The Times.
Note that due to the devaluation of the pound for six months, the picture fell in dollar terms from 10,6 million to 7,8 million.

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The former owner of the painting Lady Elizabeth Eshkomb parted with her because of the need to contain Sadli family castle in Gloucestershire.

British law does not prohibit the sale of works of art outside the country. But when it comes to national heritage, the Department of Culture may impose a temporary veto on the export of the object. Sometimes the government can not organize an effective collection of funds to purchase a valuable product: thus, 2 February 2009 it was officially announced that two national museum, with the support of several public and private funds raised 50 million pounds (71 million dollars) to buy the Duke of Sutherland, the canvases of Titian "Diana and Acteon."

In 2007 London's Tate Gallery has managed to find 4.95 million pounds (9.8 million dollars at the then exchange rate) to buy from a private individual Turner's watercolor "The Blue Riga. Painting otherwise would have left the UK.