Art Law

Catalog description

This course will introduce the basic concepts of art law. The focus of the course will be the legal relationships that govern the art market, with an examination of the respective roles, rights and interests of artists, collectors, museums, dealers, auction houses, experts and advisors. We will also consider legal issues that arise from the relationship between politics and art - including issues of freedom of expression and censorship; funding and support of the arts; and the complex issues of cultural property, national ownership, and claims for restitution of art lost during World War II. Throughout the course, we will discuss how the unique nature of art and its role in society has shaped the development of the laws that affect the people and institutions of the art world.