MANHATTAN (CN) - An art collector sued Christie's and the man who allegedly consigned to it a stolen Joan Miro painting, the 1973 aquatint, Terre Atteinte Et Soleil Intact. Frank Ribelin says the piece was stolen in 1991 and defendant Tom Schmidt consigned it to Christie's, which is holding it.
Ribelin says he bought the piece, 15 of a numbered set of 50, in 1981. He says it was stolen in June 1991 from the Jesuit Dallas Museum in the Jesuit College Prep School. Sometime after that, Ribelin says, Schmidt "attempted to consign the Artwork to Christie's for sale."
Christie's contacted the Art Loss Register, which reported that the piece was stolen, Ribelin says. He demanded the piece from Schmidt, who refused. Christie's is holding the work pending resolution of this case, in New York County Court.
Ribelin's lead counsel is Peter Pizzi with Connell & Foley.
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