Bacon estate drops lawsuit - Art World - against gallery owner Marlborough International - Brief Article

Just before a full trial was set to begin in mid February, the Francis Bacon estate dropped its claims and abandoned legal action against Marlborough International, owner of the gallery that represented the artist for most of his career [see "Artworld," May '00]. The estate's executor, Brian Clarke, said that the decision to drop the suit was made in order to focus on creative pursuits regarding Bacon's legacy rather than the expensive and time-consuming investigation of the relationship between the artist and Marlborough.

He also announced the establishment of the John Edwards Charitable Foundation to advance the study of Bacon's work. The foundation is named for the artist's friend and sole heir, who now lives in Thailand. According to the Art Newspaper, the two sides in the case spent a combined total of more than $16 million in legal fees.

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