The Matthiesen Gallery in London has filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York alleging fraud, breach of contract, and other counts over a Gustave Courbet painting, *Mother and Child on a Hammock*. The gallery claims that Thomas Austin Doyle, a convicted con man, orchestrated a scheme to defraud director Patrick Matthiesen, selling the painting—valued at $650,000—through artist and dealer Shalva Sarukhanishvili to Jill Newhouse Gallery for $115,000, which then sold it to top collector Jon Landau for $125,000. The lawsuit also names Landau, who allegedly viewed the work multiple times at TEFAF fairs knowing its retail price, yet refuses to return it. Doyle has a long criminal history, including prior convictions for art fraud and theft.
This case highlights persistent vulnerabilities in the Old Masters market, where high-value works can change hands through opaque dealer networks and convicted fraudsters. It underscores the risks galleries and collectors face when relying on informal brokering arrangements, and the legal complexities of recovering art sold in bad faith. The involvement of a prominent collector like Jon Landau and multiple galleries raises questions about due diligence in private sales and the accountability of all parties in provenance disputes.