Spear’s Review

Richard Hart was recommended to Spear’s by a number of his peers at other firms and from the art community as a whole. They highlighted him as a safe pair of hands when it comes to negotiating the tricky confluence of art and the law.

A partner at Pinsent Masons, Hart is a go-to resource for UHNW collectors seeking advice around the purchase of objects of cultural significance, caring for art collections, and the restoration and renovation of historic houses. Much of his practice involves supporting Middle Eastern clients; he also coordinates private collectors’ loans to world-famous museums and galleries.

Hart says he has noted an uptick in ‘really sophisticated’ fake artworks in recent years. ‘These things are, more often than not, really well made by people who know what they are doing, and you can only tell by looking under a microscope or going through archives.’ He therefore emphasises to his clients the importance of due diligence – and helps them navigate disputes stemming from forged or fraudulent art.