The UK government has temporarily barred the export of a bust of Edward of Woodstock, known as the Black Prince, giving a UK gallery or institution time to acquire it and keep it accessible to the public.
Edward (1330–1376), son of King Edward III of England, was a prominent military commander during the Hundred Years War. He won major victories, including at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. He is believed to have been called the Black Prince because of the colour of his armour.
The marble bust, 84 centimetres high, was made around 1735 by Flemish sculptor Michael Rysbrack. It belonged to a series of eighteenth-century depictions of Edward; the image was copied many times and became the accepted representation of the historical figure.
