July 17, 2020 Art and Law News

New York Times: "Appeals court sends the case of a pink $40 million diamond to trial" Jul 10, 2020

The legal battle over the true ownership of an exquisite pink diamond valued at $40 million is headed to trial after an appellate court in New York delivered a ruling in favour of the descendants of an Italian politician who are trying to prove that the stone is rightfully theirs.


New York Times: "Court ruling in Monaco ends one piece of a $2 billion art dispute" - Jul 8, 2020

A long-running dispute, between Yves Bouvier, a Swiss businessman who sold $2 billion worth of artworks, and Dmitry Rybolovlev, the Russian billionaire who bought them, took a decisive step in Mr. Bouvier’s favour when a Monaco court upheld a lower court’s ruling to dismiss the criminal investigation against him because the prosecution of him had been unfair.


Artnet: "An art-dealing dynasty heir sues Phillips auction house for reneging on a deal after the artist’s market took a tumble" - Jul 8, 2020

Joseph Nahmad, the youngest member of the art-dealing Nahmad family dynasty, is suing Phillips auction house after a $5 million guarantee deal fell apart against the backdrop of the global pandemic and a sharp downturn in the market for the artist in question, Rudolf Stingel.


New York Times: "Students’ calls to remove a mural were answered. Now comes a lawsuit" - Jul 6, 2020

An alumnus has filed a suit to save a fresco at the University of Kentucky that depicts enslaved people; a Black artist whose work is shown with it also wants the mural to stay.