According to the decision of U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, the famous director Steven Spielberg did not have in 2007 to pass the FBI he belonged to Norman Rockwell painting "Russian students"

According to the decision, U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, the famous director Steven Spielberg did not have in 2007 to pass the FBI he now owned by Norman Rockwell (Norman Rockwell) «Russian students».

This work created by Rockwell for the magazine Look in 1967, was stolen from a gallery in Missouri in 1973. Its owner at that time was an art dealer from Nevada Jack Solomon (Jack Solomon).

In 1988, the work appeared at auction in New Orleans, where she bought for 70,4 thousand dollars Art dealer Judy Goffman Cutler (Judy Goffman Cutler). A year later, she resold it Spielberg, one of his regular customers, for 200 thousand dollars.

• Norman Rockwell Russian schoolchildren. 1967
  Source: latimes.com

In February 2007, the director found that "pupils" number in the database the FBI, which recorded information on stolen works of art. As a good citizen, he immediately handed the picture to agents of the Federal Bureau. It did not help him avoid trouble. Soon after Spielberg sued Jack Solomon, who said that is the legal owner of the work, and demanded her back.

Here intervened Judy Cutler. She suggested to the director for the right to "Schoolboy" another picture of Rockwell from the same period, the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, and made a defendant in this case instead of Spielberg.

Just recently, 8 April, Circuit Court Judge Roger Hunt (Roger Hunt) made a decision: The FBI has made "Russian school" in its database by mistake, and this product is now rightfully belongs to Cutler. As we found out the court, Solomon found out about an auction in 1988 in New Orleans before it took place, and has reached agreements with the dealer, conducting trades, the seller had previously painting up for auction, as well as with the insurance company, paying him in 1973 and 1920 thousands of dollars compensation for theft. The FBI then conducted its own investigation, to clarify all issues and Solomon had admitted selling at auction legitimate.

• Norman Rockwell The Peace Corps in Ethiopia
  Source: latimes.com

For his part, counsel Solomon Michael Mushkin (Michael Mushkin) stated that The FBI never investigated, and that his client could hardly have their own free will to let the auction. According to Mushkin, Solomon intends to appeal.

Nevertheless, the court recognized Judy Cutler legitimate owner of the "Russian school". According to its secretary, in the near future she plans to put a picture in Newport, at the National Museum of American illustration, the director and co-founder of which it is.

material prepared Ekaterina Guseva, AI

Sources: latimes.com , artinvestment.ru