35 Mio $ Rekord Getty, legal fight, Goldregen wie bei Klimts Danae

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Danaë was commissioned from the artist in 1621 by a Genoa-based collector named Giovanni Antonio

Sauli. According to Sotheby’s catalogue it was passed down through the family and eventually landed

in a private UK collection before it was acquired by London dealer Thomas P. Grange. In 1977, Simon

took an option to purchase the work from Grange for £300,000. Muchnic says Simon eventually

returned the painting to Grange, who agreed to extend the purchase option, while also soliciting the

opinion of an expert named Denis Mahon. When Simon learned that Mahon had endorsed the opinion

of another expert who said the painting was an earlier copy of a version, by the same artist, hanging at

the Cleveland Museum of Art, Simon sent Grange a telegram, informing him that he would exercise his

option to buy the work. “But—as was often the case with Simon—the deal wasn’t that easy,”

writes Muchnic. The extended option “expired at midnight on Saturday, 29 October, 1977.” Simon’s

telegram from California was sent at 5:41 Pacific Standard Time on that day, which meant that it was

already past midnight on Sunday, October 30, London time. It was too late. Grange called Simon to

inform him that he sold the artwork to another buyer. Simon accused Grange of collusion, and, for the

ensuing month, launched a volley of allegations, investigations and meetings with his attorneys. He

sued both Grange and the buyer, Feigen, claiming breach of contract and seeking punitive damages.

Grange died while the suit was still pending, and Simon then pursued his widow, Marie Thérèse. In

December of 1978, a settlement was reached. Feigen kept the painting but he and Grange’s widow

paid Simone £100,000 in punitive damages. “Exasperating as Simon could be, most dealers put up with

him because of his taste and his buying power,” wrote Muchnic.

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Gentileschi - Danae