"May We Live In Less Interesting Times"

What's New in Art Law

• [Restitution] Tate Britain Returning Nazi-Looted Henry Gibbs Painting

  Tate Britain will return Aeneas and His Family Fleeing Burning Troy by Henry Gibbs to the heirs and great-grandchildren of Samuel Hartveld, a Jewish Belgian art collector who fled the country in 1940. The UK Government’s Spoliation Advisory Panel, which addresses claims relating to Nazi-looted cultural property, found that the museum acquired the painting in 1994 after René van den Broeck purchased Hartveld’s home and art collection for a “paltry sum.” Following a claim filed by Hartveld’s heirs, the artwork will now be returned to the family. Read more here. [EK]

• [Property] Decision Over Tree Roots Featured in Van Gogh’s Last Painting

  On March 18, 2025, the Versailles Court of Appeal issued its decision regarding 48 Rue Daubigny in Auvers-sur-Oise, France, the site featured in Vincent van Gogh’s Tree Roots (1890). The mayor had argued that the land formed part of a public highway, but the court rejected this claim, stating that “the embankment containing the tree roots painted by Vincent van Gogh does not constitute an accessory to the public highway.” Read more here. [EK]

• [Museum Closures] EPA Closes National Environmental Museum

  The National Environmental Museum, created in 2016, is now closed. Located in the Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters, the museum was dedicated to U.S. environmental history. EPA Head Lee Zeldin said that this would save taxpayers $600,000 each year. Stan Meiberg, acting deputy EPA administrator from 2014 to 2017, said, “I doubt very much this is about cost savings… It’s about trying to erase the past.” Read more here and here. [EK]

• [Art Crime] Bill Pallot on Trial for Alleged Furniture Forgeries

  In March, the criminal trial of Bill Pallot began. Pallot, author of The Art of the Chair in 18th Century France and a recognized expert in antique furniture, was arrested following a 2016 investigation by the French Ministry of Culture and police into the authenticity of furniture valued at approximately $2.9 million. Authorities ultimately concluded that the pieces were not authentic. Even before the investigation, Charles Hooreman, a former student of Pallot, had raised suspicions. In 2012, Hooreman recalled seeing two folding benches allegedly once owned by Princess Louise Élisabeth. He licked one of the chairs and said he could “taste the fraud,” recognizing the distinct taste of licorice. Melted licorice had been a technique woodworker Bruno Desnoues used to “give new wood an old feel. Read more here. [EK]

• [Censorship] National Park Service Alters Information on Historic Black Figures

  Following the Trump Administration’s executive order eliminating all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government, concerns have arisen over the removal or alteration of content related to African American history on the National Park Service website. References to Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and language addressing systemic racism have been deleted or revised. It remains unclear who authorized the changes. Read more here. [MG]

• [Property and Heritage] Italian Court Denies House of Savoy’s Claim to €300M Crown Jewels

  A Rome civil court has rejected the House of Savoy’s attempt to reclaim Italy’s royal crown jewels, ruling they remain state property. The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by the descendants of Umberto II, Italy’s last king, who reigned for just 34 days before the monarchy was abolished by referendum in 1946. The jewels, comprising more than 6,000 diamonds and 2,000 pearls set in tiaras, necklaces, and brooches once worn by Italian royalty, have been stored in a vault at the Bank of Italy for nearly eight decades. The family argued that the jewels were not among the royal assets confiscated after the monarchy was dissolved, but the court dismissed the claim as “manifestly unfounded.” The jewels were delivered to the Bank on 5 June 1946 by royal minister Falcone Lucifero, at Umberto II’s request, for safekeeping by Bank Governor Luigi Einaudi. Following the ruling, the family’s lawyer, Sergio Orlandi, announced plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, seeking both restitution of the jewels and compensation for other former royal properties. Bank of Italy lawyer Olina Capolino welcomed the decision and expressed hope the jewels will eventually be placed on public display. Read more here.

• [Museum Issues] Smithsonian Faces Scrutiny Amid Executive Order

  At the Smithsonian, Kevin Young, director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, has been on indefinite leave since March 14, shortly before President Donald Trump issued a March 27 executive order accusing the Smithsonian of promoting “anti-American ideology.” While no formal link has been made between Young’s absence and the order, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to public education and cultural access. Read more here.

• [Restitution] Art Institute of Chicago Returned Stolen Buddha Without Naming Donor

  The Art Institute of Chicago is under scrutiny for omitting key details in the restitution of a 12th-century Buddha sculpture to Nepal. The museum returned the work, Buddha Sheltered by the Serpent King Muchalinda, claiming it had been stolen from the Kathmandu Valley. However, a report from ProPublica reveals the statue came from the collection of Marilynn Alsdorf, a major Chicago donor whose acquisitions have long been questioned for murky provenance. Alsdorf and her husband James donated approximately 500 objects from South and Southeast Asia to the museum, and more than a dozen pieces from their collection are now facing similar restitution claims. Despite having galleries named in their honor, the museum did not mention the Alsdorfs in its announcement of the return. Read more here.

• [Copyright] Artist Daniel Arsham Files Copyright Claim Against Rapper Quavo

  Artist Daniel Arsham filed a lawsuit on March 31, 2025, in the Southern District of New York against rapper Quavo, Quality Control Music, and parent company HYBE America, alleging copyright infringement and violation of his right of publicity. Arsham claims Quavo used his copyrighted sculpture Quartz Eroded 1961 Ferrari GT (2018) without permission in the promotional video for “Back to the Basics 2025” and related social media posts. Despite still tagging Arsham on Instagram, Quavo and his label did not obtain a license, nor did they remove the content after cease-and-desist letters were issued in late 2024 and early 2025. Arsham seeks a permanent injunction against further use and monetary damages. Known for his monochromatic “fictional archaeology” sculptures, Arsham has collaborated with prominent brands and artists including Tiffany & Co., Rimowa, Pharrell, and Jay-Z. Read more here. 

   

• [Union and Administration] Major Cultural Workers’ Union Sues to Stop Cuts to Key Museum and Library Agency

  The American Library Association (ALA) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), representing over 42,000 cultural workers, have jointly filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The suit challenges the dismissal of most of IMLS’s staff and the cancellation of its grant programs, arguing that such actions require congressional approval, not unilateral executive orders. The legal action names President Trump, IMLS acting officials Keith Sonderling and Amy Gleason, and the Office of Management and Budget among the defendants. The lawsuit follows Trump’s March 14 executive order labeling IMLS “unnecessary” and directing its elimination to the fullest extent allowed by law. This lawsuit aligns with a similar multi-state suit filed in Rhode Island, as cultural groups warn that the cuts threaten vital institutions preserving history, knowledge, and community services. AFSCME president Lee Saunders emphasized the essential role of libraries and museums and the cultural workers who keep them functioning, calling for support rather than budget slashes. Meanwhile, the National Humanities Alliance estimates that over 1,200 grants have been cut from culture and history programs by the National Endowment for the Humanities under the current administration. Read more here.

• [Copyright and Trademark infringement] Portland Pickles Baseball Team Sues Disney Over Alleged Trademark Infringement in Pixar Series

  The Portland Pickles, a summer collegiate baseball team based in Portland, Oregon, has filed a federal lawsuit against Disney alleging copyright and trademark infringement. The dispute centers on Disney’s new Pixar series Win or Lose on Disney+, which features a fictional middle school softball team called the Peaks Valley Pickles. According to the lawsuit, the fictional team’s name and logo, depicting a green pickle wearing a baseball uniform, closely resemble the Portland Pickles’ decade-old trademarked name, mascot “Dillon,” and logo. The Portland Pickles have sold merchandise both at their Lents Park stadium and online featuring their pickle-themed branding since 2016. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Oregon, claims Disney knowingly and deliberately appropriated the Pickles’ brand identity, leveraging its market power unfairly. The complaint seeks punitive damages and determination that Disney engaged in willful trademark infringement. Read more here.