This article describes the removal of Canova's sculpture, The Three Graces, from Woburn Abbey and the British laws that determined its subsequent treatment and ownership. In this case, the group of laws intended to protect the integrity of Woburn Abbey's Sculpture Gallery was deemed to be less important than the goal of retaining the sculpture within the country. It is therefore necessary to examine the relationship between the object and the building and the effectiveness of the laws designed to preserve objects and buildings for the benefit of the public. This article examines the implications of the laws regulating the preservation of historic buildings and the export of works of art for definitions of cultural property and national patrimony.