Mondrian Entered the Public Domain. The Estate Disagrees.

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:06:45 +1100

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
https://copyrightlately.com/mondrian-public-domain-controversy/

"*The Mondrian Trust claims a 1930 painting is still protected—citing “dual
copyrights,” Spanish law, and a misreading of the Copyright Act.*

Last February, I wrote about a troubling trend: estates and rightsholders
making aggressive (and legally questionable) claims to works that have entered
the public domain. From Tintin to Charlie Chaplin to Sherlock Holmes, the
playbook is consistent: send threatening letters, cite convoluted legal
theories, and expect recipients to back down rather than fight.

A year later, the pattern continues. Now, it’s the work of Dutch abstract
painter Piet Mondrian. And this time, the estate’s legal argument is more Dada
than De Stijl."

Via Esther Schindler.

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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