Martha Lufkin

US court rules Nazi-looted Pissarro painting belongs to Spain

The decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals leaves the heirs of Lilly Cassirer with few options to pursue their restitution claim

Museum lawyers weigh in on diversity initiatives, joint acquisitions and more at industry conference

The annual gathering organised by the American Law Institute and co-sponsored by the Smithsonian took place recently in Philadelphia

US Supreme Court rules against Andy Warhol Foundation in closely watched copyright lawsuit

The case, which pitted the Andy Warhol Foundation against photographer Lynn Goldsmith, may have major repercussions for artists who build upon others’ work

Canada’s museums urged to overhaul practices to empower Indigenous peoples

Country’s museums association says institutions must involve Indigenous people in “every element” of their work

US Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Andy Warhol copyright infringement case

In oral arguments, lawyers for the foundation and photographer Lynn Goldsmith debated the boundaries of licensing, fair use and reinterpretation in Warhol’s prints of musician Prince

Battle lines drawn as Andy Warhol copyright case goes to US Supreme Court

Long-running case centres on a 1980s photograph of pop star Prince by Lynn Goldsmith, which later formed the basis of a series of prints by Andy Warhol

US court dismisses Nazi-era Guelph Treasure restitution claim

The heirs of Jewish dealers, who allegedly sold the medieval collection to the Prussian government under duress due to Nazi persecution, may appeal the ruling

US Supreme Court sends dispute over Nazi-looted Pissarro back to California court, reopening door for restitution claim

The Supreme Court's unanimous decision, written by Justice Elena Kagan, revolved around the question of which jurisdiction’s law to apply in cases where a foreign government is sued in US court

US Supreme Court will hear dispute over Andy Warhol’s use of photographer's image of Prince

The court’s ruling on the case, a years-long dispute between the Warhol Foundation and photographer Lucy Goldsmith, could be a watershed for the fair use doctrine

In US Supreme Court hearing over Nazi-looted Pissarro, justices question Spanish museum’s position

The latest chapter in the 20-year dispute over a painting currently in the collection of a Madrid museum suggests the case may head back to a California appeals court

US Supreme Court will hear case of Nazi-looted Pissarro painting

The decades-long dispute between the heirs of a Jewish woman who fled Nazi Germany and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation is embroiled in procedural questions about foreign sovereigns’ liabilities in US courts

What counts as ‘fair use’? Debate over Warhol's appropriation of Prince photograph rumbles on

Photographer Lynn Goldsmith says recent Supreme Court ruling on Google supports previous decision that went against the Pop artist's foundation

Virtual museum law conference shows how the pandemic has affected institutional administration

From dealing with cyberattacks on newly implemented digital offerings, to figuring out how to renegotiate a postponed loan, the coronavirus has raised a whole new crop of issues for museums

US Supreme Court sides with Germany in Guelph Treasure case

In a unanimous opinion, it found the country cannot be sued for taking property from its own citizens, making it harder for the heirs of some Holocaust victims to recover art through the US justice system

Lawnews

US Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Guelph Treasure claim

The case centres on whether Germany’s taking of a trove of medieval church reliquaries from its own Jewish citizens was a violation of international law—potentially opening the door for other reparations

Lawnews

Germany’s arguments to toss Guelph Treasure case raise concerns from US lawmakers

In Supreme Court filings, the country claims the sale of a valuable collection at a deep discount during the Nazi-era did not violate international law

Lawnews

US Supreme Court and its impact on the arts: 1990-2020

From freedom of speech trials to Holocaust restitution cases , the country’s highest court regularly weighs in on issues that affect the art world

US Supreme Court agrees to hear Berlin museums' appeal in lawsuit over restitution of medieval treasures to Jewish heirs

Panel will consider museums' argument that a trial over rightful ownership of the Guelph Treasure cannot be heard in American courts

US government recommends that the Supreme Court hear German museums’ appeal on Guelph Treasure claim

The solicitor general’s recent filing suggests the Nazis’ looting of Jewish collections in Germany was a domestic rather than international crime

US coronavirus legislation could do more for the arts, Boston museums say

The coalition is asking for $6bn in federal aid, and to permanently expand the charitable giving deduction to encourage US taxpayers to donate to non-profits

Supreme Court delays Guelph Treasure appeal so US government can add its views to case

The German state museum agency has argued that it cannot be sued in American courts by heirs of Jewish dealers who sold the works during the Holocaust

Lawarchive

Italy sues for return of antique pottery which they claim to own under national law because they are objects of archaeological interest.

The US has filed a complaint in a federal district court to determine who owns 230 antiquities produced in ancient Italian pottery workshops

USAarchive

US government intervenes as Israel bombing victims issue lawsuit asking for Iranian antiquities from museums

Iran argues that artefacts housed abroad should have immunity since they originate from a foreign sovereign state

Historians bake sourdough bread with yeast that could date to ancient Egypt

The loaf, made with yeast extracted from an artefact at the MFA Boston, could provide valuable insight into ancient civilisations

Lawsuitsarchive

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”

Lawnews

Protesters, influencers and AI: what museums need to think about today

Legal experts discussed the pressing topics for institutions at a recent conference in Washington, DC

Boston College mascot identified as Meiji bronze

The monumental bronze eagle was donated in 1954 by a gardener who inherited it from a diplomat and collector

Loansnews

Hermitage and MoMA heads seek end to US-Russian loans freeze

Diplomats hint at future cooperation between the countries at Texas conference

Martha Lufkin. with additional reporting by Alison Cole
Lawanalysis

Rule of law: Legal tips for art lovers

From new exhibitor regulations at Art Basel in Miami Beach to questions over insurance and taxes

Lawnews

Legal battle over Met's famous Picasso reignited by estate

The museum stands by its ownership of The Actor, which it says was never in the hands of Nazis