Britain | National treasures

The battle to keep “Portrait of Omai” in Britain

A joint acquisition with an American museum is the answer

2CH8EKJ A curator checks Joshua Reynolds 'Portrait of Omai' is moved before hanging at Tate Britain.
In the frameImage: Alamy

Editor’s note: On March 31st the National Portrait Gallery and the J. Paul Getty Museum confirmed their plans to jointly acquire and share ownership of “Portrait of Omai”.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “National treasures ”

From the April 1st 2023 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Britain

Crew members during the commissioning of HMS Prince of Wales

Has the Royal Navy become too timid?

A new paper examines how its culture has changed

A pedestrian walks across the town square in Stevenage

A plan to reorganise local government in England runs into opposition

Turkeys vote against Christmas


David Lammy, Britain’s foreign secretary

David Lammy’s plan to shake up Britain’s Foreign Office

Diplomats will be tasked with growing the economy and cutting migration


Britain’s government has spooked markets and riled businesses

Tax rises were inevitable. Such a shaky start was not

Labour’s credibility trap

Who can believe Rachel Reeves?