Van Gogh tribute must be returned to Bacon’s estate

A £13 million Francis Bacon painting of his idol Vincent Van Gogh, which has been at the centre of a bitter ownership dispute, must be handed back to the London artist's estate, a court in the south of France ruled today.

The judgment in Aix-en-Provence, means that the Vincent Van Gogh Foundation, a body dedicated to the memory of the Dutch master, must return the painting to the Bacon trustees within the next 10 days. Homage to Van Gogh, Arles, was painted by Bacon in 1985 as a tribute to the artist whom he constantly cited as his inspiration.

It was painted at the request of a curator, Yolande Clergue, who wanted to create a collection inspired by the Dutch's artist's two-year stay in Arles a century earlier. It has been held by the foundation since then and has been on public display. The dispute centred on whether the painting was merely on loan to the foundation or supposed to stay in Arles long-term.

Michel Pitron, the lawyer for the Bacon estate, said: I am very pleased with the judgment, which recognises that a loan is simply that and it is at the discretion of the owners."