Stolen Art Alert

In Travis v. Sotheby Parke Bernet, the auction house wins a $12 million libel suit over its appraisal of The Sisters Paine, purportedly by Sir Joshua Reynolds, but subsequently determined to be by Tilly Kettle. This case discusses the liability of art scholars in expressing opinions based on the best available evidence. In another major case, Jeanneret v. Vichey, concerning the purchase of the Matisse painting Portrait sur fond jaune, by Marie Louis Jeanneret from Luben and Anna Vichey, without it having a proper Italian export license, the New York Court of Appeals reversed a decision for the plaintiff and remanded the case for a retrial