An art gallery linked to Princess Eugenie is being prosecuted over allegations it sold artwork to a Russian art collector in breach of sanctions.
Hauser & Wirth, which has a gallery in Mayfair, is accused of making available a ‘luxury good… to a person connected with Russia’, breaching rules imposed following Vladimir Putin‘s invasion of Ukraine.
It allegedly supplied the painting Escape from Humanity by American artist George Condo to the art collector sometime between April 14 and December 31 2022.
This was up to 10 months after Russia invaded Ukraine, and several months after the Department for International Trade imposed a ban on the export of luxury goods worth more than £250 to Russia.
Artay Rauchwerger Solomons Ltd, an art transportation firm then known as Art Logistics Ltd, is also facing the same charge on a date between August 10 and December 31 2022.
It entered voluntarily liquidation at the end of last year, according to Companies House records.
Regulations introduced in April 2022 made supplying, delivering, or ‘making available’ luxury goods to, or for use in, Russia an offence: everything ranging from luxury cars and caviar through to sports equipment, musical instruments and art.
Anyone convicted of breaching the regulations can face up to six months in prison and an unlimited fine.
Princess Eugenie pictured on the Hauser & Wirth stand at a Paris art festival in 2022
Hauser & Wirth, along with an art transport firm, is accused of supplying the painting Escape From Humanity by American artist George Condo to a Russian art collector
Evgeniya Popova and Alexander Popov. Popov is reportedly alleged to be the collector to whom the artwork was supplied sometime in 2022
Eugenie, who is not a working royal, is described as a ‘director’ of the Hauser & Wirth gallery on her Instagram profile and has been named as such on its website.
She has been involved with the gallery since 2015
She does not, however, sit on the company’s London board and there is no suggestion that she was involved in the alleged supplying of the painting to an individual connected with Russia.
The case was called at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. No pleas were entered and it was adjourned for a pre-trial hearing at Southwark crown court on December 16.
The prosecution was brought following an investigation by HMRC. A spokesperson for the tax and customs body confirmed to the Mail that it had led an investigation into an alleged breach of sanctions.
Prosecutors did not name the individual said to be connected to Russia in court documents.
But The Times has named him as Alexander Popov, a Russian art collector who runs the Popovf Foundation with his wife Evgeniya Popova.
The gallery is based in Moscow and reportedly displays works by Western artists including Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein alongside work by contemporary Russian artists.
Ms Popova told Art Focus Now in 2020 of the gallery: ‘Our philosophy is very simple. We collect what we love. We gather things that touch us personally and are thought-provoking. It’s always about emotions with bit of humour.’
Hauser & Wirth has a gallery on Savile Row, Mayfair, and another in Somerset. It hopes to open a second Mayfair gallery in 2027. It also has galleries in the US, Hong Kong and across Europe.
A spokesperson said: ‘Our UK Gallery has been charged with one instance of making an item of artwork available to a non-sanctioned person connected with Russia.
‘We are fully committed to complying with all our legal obligations including sanctions. As the case is ongoing we are unable to comment further other than say we strongly contest this charge and intend to plead not guilty.’