A Detroit museum displaying a 1888 painting by Vincent van Gogh as part of a showing of 80 of his works said it shouldn't be pulled into a dispute over ownership of the multimillion-dollar artwork, AP reports.
The Detroit Institute of Arts said federal law gives it immunity in a lawsuit by a Brazilian collector who claims to be the owner of the painting, titled “The Novel Reader.” The museum responded in court Monday, less than a week before the rare U.S. exhibition ends.
A lawsuit claims Brokerarte Capital Partners LLC and its sole proprietor, Gustavo Soter of Brazil, acquired the painting in 2017 for $3.7 million but that a “third party” took possession of the art, which has been missing for nearly six years.
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