NewsLawsuits
Insurers fight $107m claim for Modigliani paintings seized by Italian police
A US dealer says he is owed millions by insurance brokers for 12 works that were confiscated by authorities from the Palazzo Ducale in 2017 as suspected fakes
NewsLawsuits
Art adviser sues Rudy Giuliani for $15k in unpaid fees
The former New York City mayor and Trump's personal lawyer allegedly hired the firm to appraise the value of his collection during bitter divorce battle
NewsLawsuits
Insurers hit by art-world class action lawsuit as coronavirus crisis bites
Claimants including major museums and art galleries accuse companies of failing to pay out on Covid-19 pandemic
NewsLawsuits
New York dealer Adam Lindemann sues real estate titan Aby Rosen to get out of his lease
The owner of Venus over Manhattan gallery is withholding rent and demanding his $365,000 security deposit back due to coronavirus lockdowns that have shuttered the space
BlogDiary
When it comes to this Spanish psychic, Dalí is not the father
NewsLawsuits
Former Paddle8 chief executive sued for $1m
Following the online auction house's bankruptcy filing, creditors claim Valentine Uhovski mismanaged funds from online sales and charity auctions
NewsOld Masters
Old Master scandal dealt fresh blow as Court of Appeal rejects arrest warrant
French investigation into Giuliano Ruffini, the prime suspect in the case, is hampered by Milan ruling
ArchiveLawsuits
Collector wins $1.7 million in damages from New York Gallery over violation of lending contract
Jean-Pierre Lehmann was denied “the right of first refusal over everybody”
ArchiveCopyright
The verdict that flies in the face of art history: Luc Tuymans guilty of copyright infringement
A Belgian court recently found Tuymans guilty, a ruling that ignores appropriation’s vital role in art over the centuries and has worrying implications for the future
ArchiveLawsuits
Barbara Allbritton sues IRS for $40.6m tax refund
The collector is arguing that no transfer of ownership of her collection ever took place
ArchiveMarch 2015
Collector Frank Fertitta discovers his 'Rothko' is a Knoedler fake after reading The Art Newspaper
He is now suing former employees of the gallery
ArchiveKazimir Malevich
"Ridiculous" case involving possible Malevich, Suetin, and Chashnik fakes continues
The lawsuit, dating back to 2009, is between Russian dealer Gary Tatintsian and Lev Nussberg, an artist, art historian and collector
ArchiveKnoedler
Knoedler cases to investigate who should be blamed for neglecting to exercise due diligence
Court papers raise the question of who should have spotted fakes
ArchiveMugrabis
Mugrabis dragged into Gagosian legal case
Ongoing lawsuit between the financier Ronald Perelman and the dealer Larry Gagosian
ArchiveLawsuits
Collector Eskandar Maleki sues long-time friend and adviser Amir Shariat over profits
Maleki alleges deals were undisclosed, Shariat countersues for malicious falsehood and defamation
ArchiveForgeries
Chain of custody ruling could change the legal landscape for art forgery cases in New York
Establishing the defendant is at fault just got that much trickier
ArchiveForgeries
Fakes still on the market as Knoedler victims sue
New lawsuits filed after we publish list of those who bought forgeries—some of which have not been traced
ArchiveKnoedler
Names of buyers deceived by Knoedler Gallery fakes disclosed
The document details museums, art dealers and private collectors who have brought charges against the gallery and its disgraced director
ArchiveAuctions
Trade let down by court ruling
Decision on auction houses’ liability for fakes finds in favour of buyers—but only on a technicality
ArchiveKnoedler
Who sued whom: A comprehensive timeline of the Knoedler lawsuits
How a forgery scandal brought about the downfall of New York's most prestigious gallery
ArchiveLawsuits
Swiss collector Stephan Schmidheiny sentenced to 18-year term
Schmidheiny is to appeal the verdict, citing the charges relating to asbestos manufacturing as 'absurd'
ArchiveLawsuits
Collector Steven Brooks says Sotheby’s sold him Nazi art
Uncertainty over whether the work—once owned by Goering—was looted has apparently left it unsaleable
ArchiveCambodia
Cambodian sculpture case will go to trial
Sotheby's sale halted as Cambodia demands its return
ArchiveYouTube
Artist Matthais Fritsch sued by reluctant YouTube star as “Technoviking” alleges breach of privacy
Litigation continues over the artwork that went viral
ArchiveKnoedler
Knoedler saga shows no sign of abating after last month's settlement as multiple suits remain unresolved
Several of the New York gallery's representatives have been indicted for engineering the sale of Abstract Expressionist forgeries
ArchiveForgeries
Victims of forgery are ‘left in limbo’ by legal proceedings
Recent high-profile trials mean collectors are wondering where to turn if they think they have fakes
ArchiveLawsuits
Collector Rudy Kurniawan charged over pledged art for loan on top of previous wine scandal
Bank sells several works to recoup $3m loan
ArchiveForgeries
Indonesian tycoon Tong Djoe loses appeal in fake case
An Indonesian businessman has lost his appeal against claims that he sold a fake painting, according to reports in the Singapore press
ArchiveLawsuits
Dealer Gary Tatintsian takes Lew Nussberg to court over fake Malevich drawings after scientific analysis
The case has proved to be colourful, with Tatintsian counter suing Nussberg for at least $62m
ArchivePark West Gallery
Park West sued again
They deny selling fake Dalí works
ArchiveAlberto Giacometti
Paris foundation loses battle to cast bronzes from original Giacometti plasters
The decision, backed by the Zurich's Giacometti Stiftung and the Berthoud family, has been appealed
ArchiveMarion True
Has peace broken out after the trial of Marion True?
One writer says the pressure on American museums has eased, but another insists Italian prosecutors remain combative
ArchiveLawsuits
Widow and ex-wife battle over Russian collector Mikhail de Boire’s icons
When his former wife gave part of $30m collection to the Pushkin Museum, his last wife called in lawyers to determine the fate of 75 icons from north Russia
ArchiveArt dealers
Legal battle between dealers over Leonardo drawing draws to a close
The settlement has not yet been revealed
ArchiveEconomics
Lawyers, funds and money: How litigious is the art world?
And is litigation in the art world on the rise?
ArchiveLawsuits
Wendy Reves's son claims that his mother was taken advantage of
Texan charm upsets collectors’ son
ArchiveLeonardo da Vinci
Appeal against Christie's concerning the Leonardo Princess fails on statute of limitations
Jeanne Marchig misses out
ArchiveLeonardo da Vinci
Dickinson to sue Luxembourg Art over Leonardo drawing
Fallout from Leonardo case sees London dealers locked in legal dispute
ArchiveMarion True
The Marion True case has concluded, but how does the former antiquities curator of the Getty Museum feel about the outcome?
“Neither condemned nor vindicated”: Marion True on why it is hard to accept the lack of verdict after her five-year trial
ArchiveLeonardo da Vinci
Leonardo case exposes back-room deals
A court ruling over commission on the sale of a drawing has revealed a complex web of payments
ArchiveJoseph Beuys
Museum Schloss Moyland banned from displaying images of Beuys performance
German court rules museum breached artist’s copyright by displaying photographs of 1964 happening
ArchiveMarion True
Marion True case set for final hearing?
After more than 5 years of hearings, the case is finally closing
ArchiveMarion True
Marion True, former Getty curator, trial collapses
Victims include prime minister’s father-in-law and an old master art dealer
ArchiveLeonardo da Vinci
Books: The cautionary tale of America’s other “Leonardo”
The painting that still languishes in a vault, despite nearly a century of squabbling
ArchiveSeptember 2009
Artists and academics fight animal rights activists in US Supreme Court
Anti-censorship group believes law against images of cruelty limits artistic freedoms
ArchiveLawsuits
Collector and Madoff associate Ezra Merkin finds himself in court
He is accused of defrauding his investors, which include charities
ArchiveMarion True
Marion True trial: Expert archaeologist Rizzo ends prosecution testimony
As the testimony of the expert witness comes to a close, we look at what the next hearing will entail
ArchiveGagosian Gallery
Prince and Gagosian fight back over copyright
Response to lawsuit by French photographer claims images not “strikingly original”
ArchiveMarion True
Further documents link key defendants in Marion True trial
Hearings drag on into fifth year
ArchiveMarion True
Getty letters analysed in Marion True trial
The letters aid claims that the Getty Museum were aware of the origin of the illegally excavated artefacts
ArchiveForgeries
Judge orders conclusion to case on the legitimacy of the ossuary which may have belonged to Jesus' half-brother
The forgery enquiry has lasted four years, so far
ArchiveSotheby's
Sotheby’s sues technology entrepreneur for non-payment
Defendant says auction house did not disclose its ownership of painting
ArchiveAuthentication
Authentication committee refused to give an opinion on my Basquiat, says collector
Complaint says work could lose $3m in value as a result
ArchiveLiechtenstein
Prince of Liechtenstein withdraws loans from Germany in dispute over leaked bank details
The Neue Pinakothek in Munich has been forced to cancel a major exhibition scheduled to open next month
ArchiveMarion True
“The Fleischmann Collection was just a front” - updates on the Marion True trial
The latest hearing in the Marion True trial links Getty to convicted dealer, again
ArchiveJean-Michel Basquiat
Christie’s hits back over disputed Basquiat
Auction house seeks dismissal of lawsuit
ArchiveLawsuits
Dodgy dealers, curators and collectors named in the Marion True trial in Rome
The latest in the trial of former Getty antiquities curator, Marion True, and the Paris-based dealer Robert Hech both charged with conspiring to receive illegally excavated antiquities
ArchiveLawsuits
Artist Bjarne Melgaard is suing his former backer
Sculptor says collector made too many editions
ArchiveSculpture
Disputed fifth-century fragment returns to auction after Iran's injunction blocking its sale thrown out
Reinforced legitimacy adds £500,000 to upper estimate
ArchiveAntiquities & Archaeology
UCL damned over handling of looted Aramaic antiquities
A report which concluded that ancient bowls on loan from a Norwegian collector “must have been illegally excavated in Iraq” has not been made public
ArchiveLawsuits
Gallery accused of duping collector through operating a “Ponzi” scheme
Salander-O’Reilly denies all charges
ArchiveKazimir Malevich
City of Amsterdam may be sued by the US over lawsuit brought by Malevich heirs
The heirs of Kazimir Malevich are seeking the return of 14 paintings from the Stedelijk Museum, claiming they are not entitled to the paintings
ArchiveArt market
Warhol board faces threat of class action
Movie producer Joe Simon-Whelan sues, believing his work is genuine
ArchiveMarion True
The Marion True trial: troubles in the courtroom
The hearings heated up when one of the defence lawyers threatened to abandon the trial if the prosecution continued its aggressive stance
ArchiveCollectors
Collector buying sight-unseen mistakes inches for feet and other art world gossip
Collector of Chinese contemporary gets more than he bargained for..
ArchiveMarion True
The Marion True trial: investigation continues
The trial of former Getty antiquities curator continues with prosecutor Daniela Rizzo offering witness evidence
ArchiveForgeries
Photographer Peter Beard sues over forgeries at Sotheby’s
“Crude and brazen forgeries” of the artist's work are popping up in the market
ArchiveNews
Accountant alleges major fraud at art school founded by Andy Warhol
Charges focus on former executive director of the New York Academy of Art
ArchiveLawsuits
Norwegian collector to sue British university for return of his antiquities
But scholars say they are likely to have been looted from Iraq
ArchiveMarion True
November update on Marion True trial
The Art Newspaper reports
ArchiveMarion True
Marion True trial delayed by lawyers’ strike
This is in response to Italy's new liberalisation measures
ArchiveMarion True
The Marion True trial: continued struggle in the courtroom
Specific artefacts are called into question
ArchiveMarion True
The Marion True Trial: information from the courtroom; Sergeant of Carabinieri cross-examined
More evidence is scrutinised
ArchiveGetty Museum
Trial of Getty Museum director is a moment of truth for all in the antiquities field
Recent trials forecast shift in collecting policies
ArchiveLaw
Washington's National Gallery wraps up Vuillard catalogue plagiarism suit with $37,500 payment to Annette Leduc and Brooks Beaulieu
However, a complaint lodged against Guy Cogeval, Antoine Salomon and Mathias Chivot was met with a counter-suit arguing that evidence had been fabricated
ArchiveMarion True
Evidence of Getty Venus’s illicit origin shown to court
Trial of Marion True continues with more evidence against her presented in court
ArchiveMarion True
The Marion True trial continues: is there any progression in the courtroom?
The Art Newspaper reports on the events of the continuing trial
ArchiveMarion True
The Marion True trial continues: more information from the courtroom
However, both True and co-defendant Robert Hecht were absent
ArchiveArt market
Tribunal rules in favour of disclosing price of Conrad Shawcross piece
After initially refusing , the true price was eventually disclosed
ArchiveRestitution
Austria must return five Nazi-looted Klimt paintings to the heirs of the Jewish collector Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer
“Morally, this is a gain for Austria” not a loss, says Maria Altmann
ArchiveArt market
Debt and legal troubles force Berry-Hill Galleries to file for bankruptcy
Christie’s is owed $14 million and there are over 100 other creditors
ArchiveMarion True
Ex-Getty antiquities curator appears in Italian court
Marion True made a surprise appearance on the first day of the trial
ArchiveSaatchi Gallery
Saatchi evicted from County Hall
The British collector has lost the case over his lease on the riverfront space
ArchiveLawsuits
Collector settles suit with Project gallery over violation of first refusal agreement
The settlement terms remain confidential
ArchiveMarion True
Now former Getty antiquities curator Marion True goes on trial this month
Marion True has resigned from the museum and the institution is to return three artefacts to Italy
ArchiveSaatchi Gallery
Charles Saatchi to move his gallery to Chelsea
The announcement comes as the collector and his Japanese landlord face one another in court
ArchiveMarion True
Italian case against Marion True postponed to November
The case, which is the result of a decade-long investigation by Italian police, has been delayed because crucial documents had to be translated
ArchiveNazi loot
$6.5 million settlement to heir for stolen Picasso
Chicago collector agrees to pay claimant to gain title to the work
ArchiveLawsuits
Court action after Renoir archive fails to sell at auction
Collector sues family trust which had withdrawn the artist’s belongings from sale
ArchiveJune 2005
'The art trade is the last major unregulated market'
Is it time for reform? Murky dealings came to light in 2005 as more collectors began to enter the scene—and brought their cases to court
ArchiveKazimir Malevich
US court could hear case against the City of Amsterdam for Kazimir Malevich works of art at the Stedelijk Museum
The heirs of Kazimir Malevich are claiming 14 works which the Dutch institution sent on tour to New York and Houston
ArchiveTaj Mahal
Muslims lay claim to Taj Mahal
A Muslim trust in Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, has claimed ownership of the monument
ArchiveLawsuits
Collector sues gallery over right to first choice of artists’ work
He was promised preferential treatment (and paid for it) but was then left out of almost all sales
ArchiveMaria Altmann
Struggles continue over Klimt Nazi-loot lawsuit
Maria Altmann had urged an earlier trial date while in dispute with Austrian government
ArchiveJuly 2004
Austria can be sued in the US over Nazi-loot case, Supreme Court says
The Justices rule six to three in favour of Maria Altmann. She can now pursue her case in American courts
ArchivePhoenix Ancient Art gallery
How the Aboutaams tried, and failed, to sue the Kimbell Art Museum over a Roman torso
Lawsuit against Kimbell Art Museum was dismissed last November
ArchiveMarion True
Marion True hearing postponed to March
Postponement is due to document translation troubles
ArchiveAlberto Giacometti
Association Giacometti's dwindling funds compel Paris courts to sue
Their problems could be blamed on the troubled stock market or an ongoing lawsuit between the directors and the executor of the bequest
ArchiveDiscrimination
Worcester Art Museum sued for Anti-Muslim discrimination
“The museum is committed to fostering a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer,” it said.
CommentLawsuits
Dodgy dealers beware: anti-fraud lawsuits are on the rise
A spate of fraudulent agents in the dock this year give the art trade a bad image—even if only a few individuals are involved
Georgina Adam