Italian government battles with Florence for Michelangelo's David August 17th, 2010 A fierce row has erupted over the ownership of Michelangelo's David between the Italian state and Florence, the city where the masterpiece is on display.
A symbol of the Florentine Republic's defiance of its enemies, including Rome, when erected in 1504 at the entrance to Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall, Michelangelo's portrayal of the slayer of Goliath has remained a mascot for proud locals long after the unification of Italy.
But after delving into centuries-old archives, two lawyers commissioned by the government of Silvio Berlusconi have produced what they call conclusive evidence that the renaissance masterpiece belongs not to Florence, but to the Italian state.
In a country where local loyalties often triumph over national pride, the reaction in Florence was fast and furious, starting with the mayor. "With all due respect to Roman lawyers," said Matteo Renzi, "the unquestioned documents in the possession of the city and the state are clear: David belongs to Florence."
In a nine-page document, the legal team from Rome argues that the state of Italy, not the city of Florence, is the legal successor to the Florentine Republic, which funded the purchase of the sinuous, sling-bearing David that Michelangelo daringly carved from an awkwardly sized block of Carrara marble that had lain unused in Florence for decades.
Claiming that the lawyers in Rome had "nothing better to do in August" than seize statues, Renzi cited his own historical research. "When Rome became the capital of Italy, a decree in 1870-1 assigned Palazzo Vecchio and all it contained to Florence, including David," he said. "David is ours, that is what the documents state."
Not according to the lawyers, who note that the paperwork related to the handover of the palazzo makes no mention of David "even though by this time it had acquired an enormous symbolic value". Additionally, when David was put on display at Florence's Accademia gallery in 1873, the city asserted no rights to the sculpture. A year later, the report adds, the then mayor of Florence even claimed David belonged to the Italian government when he billed Rome for the cost of moving it. Источник: Guardian наверх | 
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Art that once hung on the walls of collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers is to be sold next month August 9th, 2010 Works by Lucien Freud and Gary Hume are in the company's European collection, which is to be sold for an estimated Ј2m by Christie's in London.
That will follow a similar sale of art from the firm's US headquarters, which is expected to fetch $10m (Ј6.3m).
Pieces by Damien Hirst, Gerhard Richter and Felix Gonzalez-Torres will go under the hammer in New York on 25 September.
The proceeds will go towards repaying the creditors of the investment bank, which was the biggest bankruptcy in US corporate history when it collapsed in September 2008.
A company sign from its offices in Canary Wharf, London, will be among the objects sold at the London auction on 29 September, as will Lehman Brothers cigar boxes and tea caddies.
With an estimated value of up to Ј150,000, an image of a New York stock exchange by photographer Andreas Gursky will be sold separately in October. Источник: BBC наверх | 
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A Henry Moore sketch and two oil paintings have been stolen from a gallery in south Worcestershire August 7th, 2010 The works of art are estimated to be worth Ј230,000 and were stolen from Trinity House Paintings in Broadway High Street at about 0150 BST.
Police said four young men or youths in dark clothing and hats were seen running off towards The Green and may have had a getaway car nearby.
Among the haul was Henry Moore's Three Reclining Figures On Pedestals sketch.
The sketch made by Britain's most famous sculptor is valued at about Ј45,000 and was created using a combination of crayons, felt-tip pen, pen and ink and pen and brush work.
The stolen oil paintings were "In the Lily Garden" with a painting called "On the Sand Dune" on the reverse, both by Dorothea Sharp, and Edwards Seago's "Thames Barges at Low Water, Pin Mill".
Simon Shore, the gallery's co-owner, said: "All three of these easily recognised pictures were painted by very well known English artists and are likely to be of interest to English collectors.
"Unfortunately, there are a few who will not be concerned about how they come by them."
Anyone with information is asked to contact West Mercia Police or call Crimestoppers anonymously. Источник: BBC наверх | 
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