An exquisite oil sketch by Peter Paul Rubens has been barred from export in a last-minute effort to keep the masterpiece in Britain, after concerns it could be lost to a foreign buyer.
The work in question, Cimon Falling in Love with Efigenia, is an exceptional example of the Flemish master’s genius – painted entirely by Rubens’ own hand – and has now been placed under a temporary export ban by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant, acting on the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA), has called for a UK institution to step in and save the piece for the nation.
Painted as a preparatory study for a later grand oil that now resides in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the sketch shows Rubens at his most vibrant and inventive. Executed in oil on panel, it captures the artist’s creative process in full flow, revealing the raw dynamism and sensuality that define his oeuvre. The scene—drawn from early Renaissance literature—depicts the ethically fraught moment in which the barbarian Cimon is transformed by love upon seeing the sleeping Efigenia.
The image is suffused with the hallmarks of Rubens’ mature style: fluid brushwork, bold colour, and a charged atmosphere that borders on the operatic. But this early sketch also invites the viewer into the artist’s studio, offering rare insight into how Rubens conceived of and constructed his monumental compositions.
Mark Hallett, a member of the RCEWA, hailed the painting as “a picture that gives us the opportunity to appreciate a great artist’s creative process in full flow.” He added: “The longer one looks at and thinks about this picture, the more complex and challenging it becomes: the mark of all truly significant works of art.”
Unlike the finished painting, which would later incorporate the hands of studio assistants, this sketch is entirely Rubens’ own work – a rarity among his surviving pieces. Such authenticity adds to the artwork’s scholarly and cultural value.
The British public has long held a fascination with Rubens, who was one of the most celebrated painters of the 17th century and a towering figure of the Flemish Baroque tradition. Born in 1577 in Siegen, Germany, Rubens became court painter to several European monarchs and diplomats, while his exuberant style revolutionised religious and mythological painting.
This particular sketch also boasts a notable British provenance. George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham and one of the most powerful courtiers in early Stuart England, was an avid collector of Rubens’ work. Villiers once displayed the finished version of Cimon and Efigenia in his grand residence at York House, making this study deeply connected to Britain’s artistic and aristocratic heritage.
Sir Chris Bryant, the Arts Minister, expressed hope that the work can be retained in the UK, saying: “This work is the perfect example of Rubens’ artistic talent and gives us greater insight into Flemish art during the 17th century. I hope that a UK gallery is able to save it so that the public can enjoy it for generations to come.”
The Reviewing Committee judged the painting to meet the second and third Waverley criteria, recognising both its “outstanding aesthetic importance” and its “outstanding significance” to the study of Rubens’ preparatory works and the evolution of the female nude in European art.
Under the terms of the export deferral, the painting cannot leave the UK before 15 September 2025. During this time, any British institution or individual may attempt to raise the recommended purchase price of £8,440,000 to acquire the work. Should an offer be made, the current owner will have 15 business days to consider it. If accepted, a second deferral period of six months will be granted to allow time for the funds to be secured.
Whether the National Gallery, the Ashmolean, or another leading cultural body will step in to preserve the painting remains to be seen. But the message from the government and art historians is clear: Cimon Falling in Love with Efigeniais not merely an old sketch – it is a vivid testament to the genius of Rubens, and it belongs among the treasures of the nation.
Story/Image: UK Government.
