Ossip Zadkine: Who Owns the Sculptor’s Estate?

Ossip Zadkine was a Russian Jewish artist that lived and worked in France until his death in 1967. Over 40 years later, a legal battle ensues over the rights to his estate.

Zadkine had a wife, Valentine Prax, and she inherited the estate upon the artist's death. Zadkine also had a son, Nicolas Hasle, but he has inherited nothing.

When Prax died in the 1980s, French courts recognized Hasle as Zadkine's son. However, the legislation did not entitle Hasle to be a beneficiary, because he was born outside of marriage. Instead, the City of Paris was named as the estate beneficiary.

Now, Hasle is waging a legal campaign to claim rights in the estate. The artist's estate includes the copyright to a number of important works, primarily sculptures. French copyright law entails proprietary (economic) rights and moral rights. The transfer and succession of moral rights involves a number of complexities. Now that Hasle has made his case to be considered rightful heir of the estate, a court of appeal in Paris has ruled that the city council must make its case.