France Returns Looted Talking Drum to Côte d’Ivoire

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France has officially returned the Djidji Ayôkwé, a historic "talking drum," to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire during a ceremony at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris. The 940-pound artifact, which was used by the Atchan people to communicate across distances and warn of colonial troop movements, was seized by French authorities in 1916 to suppress local resistance. After decades in French collections, the drum is being transferred to the Museum of Civilizations in Abidjan following a specific vote by the French parliament.

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Australian-born artist Petrina Ryan-Kleid's 2012 student painting *Parsing Bill*, depicting Bill Clinton in a blue dress, went viral after it was revealed to have been owned and displayed by convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Created as a satirical thesis piece at the New York Academy of Art, the work was intended to critique how presidents are caricatured, referencing Monica Lewinsky's blue dress. Ryan-Kleid, who sold the painting for about $1,300 at the 2012 Tribeca Ball without knowing the buyer, has since distanced herself from the political narrative, expressing discomfort and clarifying the work's original intent.

artist epstein clinton painting 1628953

Australian-born artist Petrina Ryan-Kleid's 2012 student painting *Parsing Bill*, depicting Bill Clinton in a blue dress, went viral after the Daily Mail revealed it had been owned and prominently displayed by convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The work, created as a satirical thesis piece at the New York Academy of Art, was intended to critique how opposition parties caricature presidents, referencing Monica Lewinsky's blue dress. Ryan-Kleid, who sold the painting for about $1,300 at the 2012 Tribeca Ball fundraiser, has since distanced herself from the political narrative, expressing discomfort and clarifying the piece's original intent.

“Jeffrey Epstein Walk of Shame” Appears in Washington, DC Public Park

A guerrilla art installation called the "Jeffrey Epstein Walk of Shame" appeared in Washington, DC's Farragut Square. It consists of sidewalk stickers resembling Hollywood stars, bearing the names and images of twenty public figures linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including Prince Andrew, Ghislaine Maxwell, Harvey Weinstein, Bill Gates, and Bill Clinton. Each sticker features a QR code linking to Department of Justice evidence or the Epstein Files.

Briscoe Western Art Museum's annual event hits record $2.3M in art sales, marks 25th anniversary success

The Briscoe Western Art Museum’s 25th anniversary Night of Artists (NOA) Exhibition and Sale achieved a record-breaking $2.345 million in sales during its opening weekend. The event, held in San Antonio, saw 72% of the featured contemporary Western artworks sold immediately, including high-value pieces by Gladys Roldán-de-Moras and Todd Connor. Several prestigious honors were awarded, including the "Cowboy Bob" Museum Purchase Award, which secured Morgan Weistling’s portrait of Buffalo Bill Cody for the museum’s permanent collection.

Huge fashion photography archive heads this month’s acquisition round-up

The New York Historical has acquired the vast archive of legendary New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham, nearly a decade after his death in 2016. The collection includes tens of thousands of images, negatives, slides, contact sheets, and correspondence documenting Manhattan street style and high-society events over 50 years. Separately, the J. Paul Getty Museum received a gift of 38 Italian manuscript illuminations from T. Robert Burke and Katherine States Burke, doubling its holdings in that area. The Hamburger Kunsthalle purchased René Magritte's painting *Le Palais de Rideaux* (1928) for €2.4 million from a Belgian private collection.

World Famous Buffalo Bill Western Art Show And Sale Opens For 44th Year

The 44th Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale opened at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, with over $20,000 in art sold on the first evening. The show features 104 paintings from 104 artists, valued at over $1.25 million, displayed until the live auction on September 19. A Buy-It-Now Sale offers 63 smaller pieces donated by artists, providing immediate purchasing opportunities alongside the main exhibition of contemporary Western art.

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The Smithsonian Institution has addressed the removal of a display at the National Museum of American History that mentioned President Donald Trump's two prior impeachments. The display, which had been on view since 2021 alongside references to Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Richard Nixon, was altered to a 2008 version that predated Trump's presidency. The Smithsonian stated the display will be updated in the coming weeks to reflect all impeachment proceedings in U.S. history, denying any external pressure from the Trump administration. The controversy follows earlier tensions, including Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet and artist Amy Sherald's cancellation of her traveling survey due to staff fears of political pushback.

senator john fetterman proposes bill to apply anti money laundering protections to us art market 1234748148

On July 23, U.S. Senator John Fetterman introduced the Art Market Integrity Act, a bill that would apply anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing regulations to art dealers, auction houses, galleries, advisers, consultants, custodians, museums, collectors, and other intermediaries in the art market. The legislation amends the Bank Secrecy Act, requiring these entities to conduct client due diligence, maintain records, and report suspicious transactions. It exempts artists selling their own work, nonprofits, and businesses with under $50,000 in annual art transactions. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley, Sheldon Whitehouse, Bill Cassidy, Andy Kim, and David McCormick.

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France's government has introduced a bill aimed at accelerating the return of artworks looted during the colonial era to their countries of origin, covering items acquired through theft, looting, or forced transfers between 1815 and 1972. The legislation, set for Senate debate in September, seeks to bypass current French laws that have slowed restitution processes. Separately, a new book by Gareth Harris titled 'Towards the Ethical Art Museum' argues that museum ethics codes are often insufficient and calls for a shift in mindset around restitution and provenance.