DETROIT (AP) – A federal appeals court has ordered a Detroit museum to hold onto an 1888 painting by Vincent van Gogh amid a Brazilian collector’s dispute with the museum regarding the work.
DETROIT (AP) – On Jan. 20, a judge dismissed a lawsuit regarding control of an 1888 painting by Vincent van Gogh, saying federal law bars him from stepping into a dispute between a Brazilian collector and a Detroit museum. The painting of a woman with a book, titled The Novel Reader, is protected from seizure, and the Detroit Institute of Arts can’t be ordered to give it up, U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh said.
BERLIN (AP) – Most of the defendants standing trial for a spectacular 2019 break-in at Dresden’s Green Vault museum, in which 18th-century treasures were stolen, have reached a deal that would get them reduced punishment in exchange for confessions and the return of much of the haul, a judge said Jan. 10.
BERLIN (AP) – German authorities said December 17 that they have recovered a significant part of the 18th-century treasures stolen from Dresden’s Green Vault museum in a spectacular break-in more than three years ago.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – Two Belgian activists who targeted Johannes Vermeer’s iconic Girl with a Pearl Earring painting in a climate protest last week were sentenced on November 2 to two months in prison, with prosecutors saying their action “crossed a line” of acceptable protest. Half of the sentence was suspended by a judge in The Hague, meaning the men will serve one month. A third suspect is due in court Friday. Their identities were not released, in line with Dutch privacy rules.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Andy Warhol and Prince held center stage in a copyright case before the Supreme Court on October 12 that veered from Cheerios and Mona Lisa analogies to Justice Clarence Thomas’ enthusiasm for the Purple Rain showman. Despite the light nature of the arguments at times involving two deceased celebrities, the issue before the court is a serious one for the art world: When should artists be paid for original work that is then transformed by others, such as a movie adaptation of a book?
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Police in Rio de Janeiro are seeking the arrest of six people accused of involvement in stealing 16 artworks together valued at more than 700 million reais, (roughly equivalent to $139 million), some of which were recovered. Police said in a statement that the group stole the works from an 82-year-old widow, who had been married to an art collector and dealer.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) – A World Boxing Council championship belt belonging to former South African President Nelson Mandela has been stolen from a museum in Soweto, according to police. The belt was given to Mandela by American boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard during one of his visits to South Africa. It was one of many artifacts inside the Nelson Mandela National Museum, a major tourist attraction for local and international travelers.
WASHINGTON (AP) – A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities and characters in the Sex and the City TV series was arrested in her hometown of Cali, Colombia, and faces extradition to the United States on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags, Colombian prosecutors said July 8. Nancy Gonzalez faces charges in the U.S. Southern District of Florida that could lead to up to 25 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
MAASTRICHT, The Netherlands – Thieves entered the TEFAF Maastricht venue and attempted to steal jewelry from an exhibitors’ stand by smashing a display case with a hammer. The fair was temporarily closed on the morning of June 28 to deal with the attack, but has now reopened.