An objection has been filed against Highland Council's plan to sell a valuable 18th-century marble sculpture to an international buyer. The artwork, a bust of Highland landowner Sir John Gordon created by French artist Edmé Bouchardon in 1728, has been appraised at £2.5 million and represents a significant piece of Scottish cultural heritage.
Highland Council, which currently owns the sculpture, had proposed selling the piece to raise funds for the community of Invergordon, a town that bears the Gordon family name. However, the council's application for a UK export license, which is required for any overseas sale, has now faced opposition and is currently under official review.
The reviewing process involves the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, which held a hearing last month following the objection. According to a new Highland Council report, "The committee is assessing whether the bust meets any of the three Waverley Criteria and whether the export licence should be deferred." The council is currently awaiting the outcome of this review, and members will be updated accordingly.
The Waverley Criteria serves as a set of standards used to determine whether an artwork qualifies as a national treasure and if its sale to an overseas buyer would constitute a cultural "misfortune." This system is specifically designed to provide institutions such as museums and galleries with an opportunity to acquire important artworks before they leave the country.
The sculpture has a remarkable history that reflects both its artistic value and the oversight that nearly led to its loss. Invergordon Town Council originally purchased the bust for just £5 at an auction in Kindeace, near Invergordon, in 1930. The piece was intended for display in Invergordon Town Hall but was later moved to storage, where its significant value remained unrecognized for decades.
Sir John Gordon, the subject of the sculpture, came from a banking family that owned extensive land holdings in Sutherland and Ross-shire. The Gordon family established the town of Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth, giving the community its lasting connection to the family name. Gordon was a young man traveling through continental Europe when he encountered Bouchardon in Rome in 1728, leading to the creation of the marble bust. Gordon later became a Member of Parliament in 1742.
For many years, the bust was a prominent feature of the Gordon family's Invergordon Castle, where it survived a significant fire during the 19th century. After the family's auction in 1930, the piece began its journey through various locations, eventually ending up in an unlikely storage situation that nearly resulted in its permanent loss.
The sculpture's rediscovery story highlights how easily cultural treasures can be overlooked. Records relating to the piece were reportedly disposed of during local government reorganizations in the 1970s and 1990s, according to Rob Gibson, who spoke to BBC Scotland News in 2014 when he served as a local Member of the Scottish Parliament. Highland councillor Maxine Smith made the remarkable rediscovery in 1998, finding the valuable sculpture being used to prop open a door at a Highland Council storage unit on an industrial estate in Balintore, approximately 14 miles from Invergordon.
Highland Council now describes the sculpture as a community asset belonging to the Invergordon Common Good Fund. In Scotland, these common good funds have historical roots dating back to the 15th century and involve land, investments, and property that exist under law specifically for the benefit of burgh residents. This legal framework adds another layer of complexity to the proposed sale.
The council report addressing this matter is scheduled for discussion at a meeting of the Black Isle and Easter Ross area committee next week. The outcome of the export license review will ultimately determine whether the community of Invergordon will be able to benefit financially from the sale of this remarkable piece of their heritage, or whether the sculpture will remain in Scotland as a protected cultural treasure.
