Overview
- Ministers acted on advice from the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art, which said the set meets the third Waverley criterion for outstanding significance to Pahari painting and related research.
- The group comprises 56 surviving paintings from an original 59, created circa 1810 in the Kangra region using opaque pigments with gold and silver highlights.
- Officials note no comparable series survives in the UK, and say retention would support research access and cultural representation for British Hindu communities.
- The sequence includes a scene of Vishnu and Shiva seeking help that is believed to be unique to this set.
- If a UK offer is made at the recommended price, owners have 15 business days to consider it, followed by a three‑month option period under the export deferral process.