Art & Cultural Property

Owning art generates complex legal issues, often as fine as the art itself. Our specialist teams handle all art matters with expert knowledge and advice.

Our art law specialists

As leading legal specialists in the art and cultural property sector, we understand the art market . Our client base includes collectors, artists, dealers, banks, landed estates, charitable foundations museums and leading galleries. Whatever your issue, our expert team is on hand to guide you through the legal and commercial issues you may face. Our experience in the field of art law is extensive. As far back as 1820 we advised the Duke of Wellington on the insurance of his art collection. These days you may find us advising clients looking to buy NFTs.

Our art and heritage legal expertise

We’ve worked on some of the art world’s most complex transactions. The unique insight we have gained in the sector, combined with a deep understanding of each individual client’s aims and priorities means we look ahead to anticipate future issues and the assistance you may need then.

Whether they are seeking advice on the sale of a major collection, a title dispute, structuring and financing a purchase or on a compliance and regulatory issue, our clients know we have the expertise to help them navigate this ever evolving market.

Our expertise in art law

Authenticity and provenance issues
Consignment agreements
Acquisition and sale of art and luxury assets
Art finance, investment and third-party guarantees
Art and estate succession planning
Copyright protection and licensing
Art insurance (including the Government Indemnity Scheme)
Art litigation and recovery of stolen artwork
Reputation management and handling media
Gifts and philanthropy involving artworks and collections
Global mobility: export, import and VAT
Tax

Highly regarded practice with a longstanding reputation in this area. Demonstrates extensive experience acting for high net worth collectors and auction houses as well as world-famous museums and galleries.

Chambers & Partners 2022

Recent work highlights

Acting for the buyer of two Old Masters in a multimillion pound arbitration against a major London dealer following allegations of deceit arising out of the provenance list for each work
Advising a non-UK businessman on negotiations with his insurers following the recovery of a modern masterpiece which had been stolen from his collection and missing for over twenty years.
Acting for Executors of a UHNW UK Estate on offers to the Nation of multimillion pound artworks in lieu of Inheritance Tax.
We are the National Gallery’s lead advisers and provide continued support to them in respect of their most high-profile projects and transactions
Advising the trustees of an offshore trust on the purchase of an important modernist work from a leading London art dealer.
Advising various institutional and private clients on the potential impact of Brexit in respect of moving works of art and import duty within the EU.

We are very pleased to have advised the National Portrait Gallery on its purchase of Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai in collaboration with Getty. The £50m acquisition is the most significant in the Gallery’s history and the joint-largest the UK has ever made.

Read the press release