Exterior of the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., where the Supreme Court of the United States meets, photographed in March 2019. On May 18, the court ruled that Andy Warhol had in fact violated Lynn Goldsmith’s copyright on a photograph she took of the singer Prince. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Marielam1. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Andy Warhol violated photographer’s copyright, Supreme Court rules

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Exterior of the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., where the Supreme Court of the United States meets, photographed in March 2019. On May 18, the court ruled that Andy Warhol had in fact violated Lynn Goldsmith’s copyright on a photograph she took of the singer Prince. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Marielam1. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Exterior of the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, where the Supreme Court of the United States meets, photographed in March 2019. On May 18, the court ruled that the late artist Andy Warhol had in fact violated Lynn Goldsmith’s copyright on a photograph she took of the singer Prince. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Marielam1. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

WASHINGTON (AP) — On May 18, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a photographer who claimed the late Andy Warhol had violated her copyright on a photograph of the singer Prince. “Lynn Goldsmith’s original works, like those of other photographers, are entitled to copyright protection, even against famous artists,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in an opinion joined by six of her colleagues.

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Pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the classic 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ photographed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in October 2011. In 2005, a different pair of Garland-worn ruby slippers was stolen from a Minnesota museum devoted to the late actress. On May 17, federal prosecutors in North Dakota announced that a grand jury had indicted Terry Martin for the theft of the iconic footwear. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Chris Evans. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Man indicted in theft of ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland

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Pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the classic 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ photographed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in October 2011. In 2005, a different pair of Garland-worn ruby slippers was stolen from a Minnesota museum devoted to the late actress. On May 17, federal prosecutors in North Dakota announced that a grand jury had indicted Terry Martin for the theft of the iconic footwear. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Chris Evans. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Pair of ruby-red sequined slippers worn on screen by Judy Garland in the classic 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ photographed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in October 2011. In 2005, another pair of Garland-worn ruby slippers of similar appearance was stolen from a Minnesota museum devoted to the late actress. On May 17, federal prosecutors in North Dakota announced that a grand jury had indicted Terry Martin for the theft of the iconic footwear. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Chris Evans. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

FARGO, N.D. – A man has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, federal prosecutors in North Dakota said. The shoes were stolen in 2005 and recovered by a 2018 FBI sting operation, but no arrests were made at the time. Terry Martin was indicted May 16 with one count of theft of a major artwork, prosecutors announced on May 17. The indictment did not provide any further information about Martin and online records do not list an attorney for him.

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The scene outside Dresden’s Green Vault Museum on November 25, 2019, following the theft of more than $100 million dollars’ worth of 18th-century jewelry and precious objects from the German institution. Five men were convicted of the crime and sentenced to prison terms of four to six years in length; a sixth was acquitted. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Bambizoe. Shared under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Germany: Five sentenced to prison for 100-million-euro jewelry heist

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The scene outside Dresden’s Green Vault Museum on November 25, 2019, following the theft of more than $100 million dollars’ worth of 18th-century jewelry and precious objects from the German institution. Five men were convicted of the crime and sentenced to prison terms of four to six years in length; a sixth was acquitted. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Bambizoe. Shared under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

The scene outside Dresden’s Green Vault Museum on November 25, 2019, following the theft of more than $100 million dollars’ worth of 18th-century jewelry and precious objects from the German institution. Five men were convicted of the crime and sentenced to prison terms of four to six years in length; a sixth was acquitted. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Bambizoe. Shared under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

BERLIN (AP) – A German court on May 16 convicted five men for the theft of 18th-century jewels worth more than 100 million euros (roughly $107,800 million) from a Dresden museum in 2019. They were sentenced to prison sentences of between four years and four months and six years and three months, German news agency dpa reported. One defendant was acquitted.

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The Orlando Museum of Art in Orlando, Florida, photographed in April 2011. A former auctioneer from Los Angeles agreed to plead guilty to faking works by Jean-Michel Basquiat that were shown at the Florida museum. The paintings were subsequently seized in a federal raid in 2022. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Ebyabe. Shared under several Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike licenses, most recently the 3.0 Unported version.

Man agrees to plead guilty in Basquiat artwork fraud scheme

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The Orlando Museum of Art in Orlando, Florida, photographed in April 2011. A former auctioneer from Los Angeles agreed to plead guilty to faking works by Jean-Michel Basquiat that were shown at the Florida museum. The paintings were subsequently seized in a federal raid in 2022. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Ebyabe. Shared under several Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike licenses, most recently the 3.0 Unported version.

The Orlando Museum of Art in Orlando, Florida, photographed in April 2011. A former auctioneer from Los Angeles agreed to plead guilty to faking works by Jean-Michel Basquiat that were shown at the Florida museum. The paintings were subsequently seized in a federal raid in 2022. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Ebyabe. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – A former Los Angeles auctioneer has agreed to plead guilty in a cross-country art fraud scheme in which he created fake artwork and falsely attributed the paintings to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, federal prosecutors said April 11. The paintings ultimately wound up at the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida before they were seized by federal agents last year in a scandal that roiled the museum and led to its CEO’s departure after he threatened an art expert and told her to “shut up.”

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Connecticut State Troopers will escort the rare Colt Whitneyville Walker revolver (visible in the bottom row with CT tag) back to its home state. A powderhorn (center right) dating to the French and Indian War was stolen from a Belchertown, Massachusetts, museum in the 1970s. Both were among dozens of artifacts stolen from several different American museums five decades ago that will soon be returned. Image courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)

FBI: 50 items stolen from museums in 5 states returned

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Connecticut State Troopers will escort the rare Colt Whitneyville Walker revolver (visible in the bottom row with CT tag) back to its home state. A powderhorn (center right) dating to the French and Indian War was stolen from a Belchertown, Massachusetts, museum in the 1970s. Both were among dozens of artifacts stolen from several different American museums five decades ago that will soon be returned. Image courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)

Connecticut State Troopers will escort the rare Colt Whitneyville Walker revolver (visible in the bottom row with CT tag) back to its home state. A powderhorn (center right) dating to the French and Indian War was stolen from a Belchertown, Massachusetts, museum in the 1970s. Both are among dozens of artifacts stolen from several different American museums five decades ago that are being returned to their home institutions. Image courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Federal authorities say dozens of artifacts stolen in the 1970s from museums in several states and dating back as far as the French and Indian War have been returned to the institutions.

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Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Novel Reader,’ painted in 1888. A federal appeals court ruled on January 25 that the Detroit Institute of Arts, which displayed the painting in a show that closed last Sunday, must retain possession of it in connection with a dispute regarding its ownership. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which regards this photographic reproduction of the Vincent van Gogh painting as being in the public domain in the United States.

It’s not over yet; now court orders Detroit museum to hold onto disputed van Gogh

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Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Novel Reader,’ painted in 1888. A federal appeals court ruled on January 25 that the Detroit Institute of Arts, which displayed the painting in a show that closed last Sunday, must retain possession of it in connection with a dispute regarding its ownership. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which regards this photographic reproduction of the Vincent van Gogh painting as being in the public domain in the United States.

Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Novel Reader,’ painted in 1888. A federal appeals court ruled on January 25 that the Detroit Institute of Arts, which displayed the painting in a show that closed last Sunday, must retain possession of it in connection with a dispute regarding its ownership. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which regards this photographic reproduction of the Vincent van Gogh painting as being in the public domain in the United States.

DETROIT (AP) – A federal appeals court has ordered a Detroit museum to hold onto an 1888 painting by Vincent van Gogh amid a Brazilian collector’s dispute with the museum regarding the work.

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Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Novel Reader,’ on view in a show at the Detroit Institute of Arts that closes Jan. 22. A U.S. District Judge has dismissed a lawsuit regarding the ownership of the 1888 painting, saying federal law protects the work from being seized under the current circumstances. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which regards this photographic reproduction of the work as being in the public domain in the United States.

Detroit judge dismisses lawsuit over control of van Gogh art

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Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Novel Reader,’ on view in a show at the Detroit Institute of Arts that closes Jan. 22. A U.S. District Judge has dismissed a lawsuit regarding the ownership of the 1888 painting, saying federal law protects the work from being seized under the current circumstances. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which regards this photographic reproduction of the work as being in the public domain in the United States.

Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Novel Reader,’ on view in a show at the Detroit Institute of Arts that closes Jan. 22. A U.S. District Judge has dismissed a lawsuit regarding the ownership of the 1888 painting, saying federal law protects the work from being seized under the current circumstances. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, which regards this photographic reproduction of the Vincent van Gogh painting as being in the public domain in the United States.

DETROIT (AP) – On Jan. 20, a judge dismissed a lawsuit regarding control of an 1888 painting by Vincent van Gogh, saying federal law bars him from stepping into a dispute between a Brazilian collector and a Detroit museum. The painting of a woman with a book, titled The Novel Reader, is protected from seizure, and the Detroit Institute of Arts can’t be ordered to give it up, U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh said.

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Plea deal for defendants in 2019 Dresden museum jewelry heist

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A gallery at the Green Vault in Dresden, Germany. SwenS D image. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

BERLIN (AP) – Most of the defendants standing trial for a spectacular 2019 break-in at Dresden’s Green Vault museum, in which 18th-century treasures were stolen, have reached a deal that would get them reduced punishment in exchange for confessions and the return of much of the haul, a judge said Jan. 10.

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Dresden’s Green Vault museum became a crime scene following a November 2019 theft that included jewelry with a collective value of $121 million. On December 17, German authorities announced they had recovered 31 of the stolen items. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Bambizoe. Shared under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Part of haul from 2019 German museum jewelry heist recovered

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Dresden’s Green Vault museum became a crime scene following a November 2019 theft that included jewelry with a collective value of $121 million. On December 17, German authorities announced they had recovered 31 of the stolen items. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Bambizoe. Shared under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Dresden’s Green Vault museum became a crime scene following a November 2019 theft that included jewelry with a collective value of $121 million. On December 17, German authorities announced they had recovered 31 of the stolen items. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Bambizoe. Shared under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

BERLIN (AP) – German authorities said December 17 that they have recovered a significant part of the 18th-century treasures stolen from Dresden’s Green Vault museum in a spectacular break-in more than three years ago.

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The Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, the Netherlands, photographed in 2011. On November 2, two Belgian climate change activists who used Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ in a stunt meant to draw attention to their cause were each sentenced to one month in prison. A third suspect will appear in court on November 4. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Wolfgang Pehlemann. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany license.

Climate activists get a month in prison for Vermeer protest

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The Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, the Netherlands, photographed in 2011. On November 2, two Belgian climate change activists who used Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ in a stunt meant to draw attention to their cause were each sentenced to one month in prison. A third suspect will appear in court on November 4. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Wolfgang Pehlemann. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany license.

The Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, the Netherlands, photographed in 2011. On November 2, two Belgian climate change activists who used Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ in a stunt meant to draw attention to their cause were each sentenced to one month in prison. A third suspect will appear in court on November 4. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, photo credit Wolfgang Pehlemann. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany license.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – Two Belgian activists who targeted Johannes Vermeer’s iconic Girl with a Pearl Earring painting in a climate protest last week were sentenced on November 2 to two months in prison, with prosecutors saying their action “crossed a line” of acceptable protest. Half of the sentence was suspended by a judge in The Hague, meaning the men will serve one month. A third suspect is due in court Friday. Their identities were not released, in line with Dutch privacy rules.

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