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June 4, 2009
The feigned innocence of legal arguments
Ah, the disingenuity of lawyers!
Read the excerpts from the argument here against Yale.
I'm only going to cut and paste a funny:
"Yale's continued and wrongful detention of the unlawfully confiscated 'The Night Cafe' is prohibited by customary and international treaty law," Konowaloff's attorneys wrote in the filings. (my emphasis)
You can detain a painting?
On a more serious note - of COURSE Mr. Clark knew the painting he bought came from the Commissars! Just like the Forbes family knows why all those Faberge products hit the market. It wasn't a policy of willful ignorance, as the lawyers argue - it was the way the art trade worked. Right of conquest and all - the Soviets won. It wasn't fair and square, but it was clear cut.
And of course the purported descendant wants the Night Cafe back. But he shouldn't claim much moral high ground. I'm with Yale on this one.
Posted by CrankyProfessor at June 4, 2009 8:29 AM