2017 may provide an opportunity to see the Gurlitt hoard in its entirety. The artistic director of Documenta 14, one of the world’s most hotly anticipated contemporary art events, has told a German newspaper that he hopes to exhibit all of the works of art in the collection of the late Cornelius Gurlitt in the next edition of the fair. Continue reading
At the end of last month the British Museum and the UK Government formally declined UNESCO’s request to enter into mediation on the subject of transferring the Parthenon marbles back to Greece. Removed by Lord Elgin from the Parthenon temple in Athens in the 1800s, the marbles were sold to the British Museum in 1816 and have remained there ever since. The sculptures date from 447-432 BC, and are divided between London and a purpose built museum in Athens. Continue reading
Since our last two articles (here and here) there have been several developments in the ongoing saga of the Gurlitt collection. Continue reading
In December it was reported that the Michigan Court of Appeal has allowed a claimant to continue her lawsuit against a gallery relating to fake Salvador Dali prints, by ruling that the gallery’s alleged fraud had delayed the start of the limitation period (which would otherwise have now passed, barring her claim). Continue reading
This week a dispute has been heard in the High Court regarding whether a father gave four Lancia Stratos rally cars, estimated to be worth £2.2 million, to his son as a loan or a gift. The father, Ernst Hrabalek, insists that the cars were lent to his son so they could be displayed at a car show. However, the son, Christian Hrabalek, claims his father gave them to him as a gift following his graduation.
Boodle Hatfield LLP acted for Mr Thwaytes in his claim against fine art auctioneers Sotheby’s. Judgment was handed down on 16 January 2015 and you can read it in full here. Continue reading
Author: Tom Broadhurst
Last century I heard Paul Goldstein’s then provocative view – that the Internet and digital revolution would be the death of copyright. Others have said similar things but this decease of copyright has not happened – copyright still robustly thrives in the digital arena and is vital in the visual arts. In 2011 an estimated £70M of licensing revenue went to writers and artists (see p. 5 of the report ‘An economic analysis of copyright‘). Continue reading
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