AN attempt was made last night to prevent the export of a painting which is on long-term loan from the North-East.

A temporary bar was placed on the export of Renaissance master Raphael's Madonna and Child - also known as the Madonna of the Pinks, which has been on loan to the National Gallery from the Duke of Northumberland since 1992.

Minister of State for the Arts Tessa Blackstone placed a seven-month block on the painting's export following a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art.

The committee has awarded a star rating to the work, meaning that every effort should be made to raise the recommended asking price of more than £34,880,000 before August 27.

Although the Duke of Northumberland proposes to sell the painting to the J Paul Getty Museum in California, any painting more than 50 years old and above a certain value requires an export licence.

If enough money is raised to buy the painting in the UK, the Government will refuse to issue the licence.

The National Gallery is to approach the Heritage Lottery Fund for £20m towards the painting, because the level of Government funding prevents it making acquisitions.

The trustees of the Northumberland estate said the temporary block was not a surprise and they would wait to see whether funds would become available to keep the painting in Britain.

They said: "The sale of the painting will go towards the maintenance and preservation of a considerable part of Northumberland's historic heritage, including Alnwick Castle, its important landscape and extensive art collection which is on public display at Alnwick and in national and international exhibitions."

A spokesman added that they would prefer the painting to remain in the country.