Art Law
Protecting art requires sensitivity, respect, and legal competence.
In the art world, works are far more than material assets—they represent emotion, personal expression, reputation, and, undeniably, a financial investment.
To protect a work of art, an archive, or a collection, it is essential to understand its multi-layered value: securing authorship, preventing plagiarism, ensuring traceability, and balancing artistic value, public image, and economic interest.
Canella Camaiora® is among Italy’s most recognized law firms in the field of copyright protection. For six consecutive years (2020–2025), it has been ranked by Il Sole 24 Ore–Statista among the top Italian law firms in the areas of Intellectual Property and TMT, based on an independent survey of lawyers, in-house counsel, and clients.
We advise artists, collectors, galleries, foundations, archives, museums, cultural institutions, antiquarians, auction houses, logistics operators, insurers, and financial institutions—offering tailored legal solutions in a sector that demands both technical knowledge and cultural awareness.
Do you want to receive now a personalized quote? Click on the “CALCULATE A QUOTE” button below. Answer a few simple questions and you’ll get a quote in less than two minutes.
Canella Camaiora® provides specialist legal support in every aspect of art law, including:
- Protection of copyright and moral rights;
- Artistic plagiarism, imitation, and counterfeiting;
- Authentication and attribution of artworks;
- Management, governance, and valuation of archives;
- Contracts for sale, loan, deposit, and gratuitous bailment;
- Exhibitions, fairs, and international circulation of artworks;
- Cultural property notifications, restrictions, and export authorizations;
- Disputes over ownership, rights, and cultural assets;
- Mediation and negotiation involving artists, heirs, foundations, institutions, and collectors;
- Legal consultancy in extraordinary transactions involving artistic heritage.
Authentication and artist archives
Authenticity is the foundation of legal protection.We assist archives, foundations, committees, and artists in drafting internal regulations, managing authentication requests, and documenting attributions.
We collaborate with trusted independent experts to ensure consistency of documentation and methodological integrity, particularly in cases of dispute.
A work without authentication loses value. A well-structured archive creates it.
Valuation and management of collections
We provide legal, technical, and economic analyses of individual works, archives, and entire collections. Our services include expert reports, due diligence, and technical assessments for donations, inheritances, estate divisions, art lending operations, and corporate transfers.
Awareness is itself a tool for managing, transmitting, and enhancing cultural value.
Copyright, plagiarism, and infringement
Every original creation is protected as a copyrighted work.
We support authors and galleries in licensing, asserting moral rights, managing resale royalty rights, and pursuing legal action in cases of plagiarism or unauthorized reproduction.
We act to obtain cessation of the infringement and compensation, including moral damages.
Contracts and circulation of artworks
We draft contracts for sale, exhibition, loan, transport, deposit, sponsorship, and patronage.
We advise public and private clients in their dealings with publishers, curators, conservators, exhibitors, and buyers.
Our team is well-versed in cultural heritage law, notification procedures, and export authorizations.
Litigation and cultural mediation
Canella Camaiora® is active in both judicial and extrajudicial protection of artistic rights and cultural assets.
We assist clients in disputes over authenticity, authorship, damage to works, cultural restrictions, inheritance claims, and estate division.
Where appropriate, we promote strategic, confidential mediation to resolve conflicts constructively and preserve value.
Art is a value. Protecting it is a responsibility.
Canella Camaiora® supports artists, institutions, archives, foundations, and collectors in the protection of rights and enhancement of artistic works.
We combine legal insight, practical experience, and cultural sensitivity to deliver concrete solutions in a field where culture meets the market.
Art law
Protection of copyright and moral rights
Artistic plagiarism, imitation, and counterfeiting
Authentication and attribution of artworks
Management, governance, and valuation of archives
Contracts for sale, loan, deposit, and gratuitous bailment
Exhibitions, fairs, and international circulation of artworks
Cultural property notifications, restrictions, and export authorizations
Disputes over ownership, rights, and cultural assets
Mediation and negotiation involving artists, heirs, foundations, institutions, and collectors
Legal consultancy in extraordinary transactions involving artistic heritage
Do you want to receive now a personalized quote? Click on the “CALCULATE A QUOTE” button below. Answer a few simple questions and you’ll get a quote in less than two minutes.

Fatal road traffic accident: family members’ rights and compensation for damages
This article examines the rights of the family members of a person who has died in a road traffic accident and the steps required to [...]

When can a slogan be registered? (EUIPO common practice)
Trademarks and slogans often operate on the same communicative level, but they follow different legal logics. A slogan may be effective from an advertising perspective [...]

Can a newspaper’s name be reused? (Milan Court, order of 29 December 2025)
There is a particular category of assets which, in the law of information, does not cease to exist even when it apparently disappears from newsstands. [...]

“Replaced by AI”? The Rome Court clarifies the limits of dismissal
In recent months, a ruling by the Rome Court (no. 9135 of November 19, 2025) has attracted particular attention, which, according to some news outlets, [...]

Veterinary malpractice and compensation for non-economic damages (Florence Court of Appeal, Dec. 23, 2025)
In the context of contractual disputes, this article comments on the judgment of the Florence Court of Appeal, Fourth Civil Division, issued on December 23, [...]

The former partner who becomes a competitor: the drop in turnover as evidence of unfair competition – a comment on Venice Court, Order of 15/05/2024
A former partner who becomes a competitor, taking clients, know how and turnover with them. Can this be regarded as conduct contrary to fair competition? [...]

When a company’s value depends on know-how… that can walk out the door
In innovative companies, a significant part of value is invisible: it is not machinery, not a factory building, not a patent. It consists of ideas [...]

Employee migration, reverse engineering or unfair competition? (Italian Supreme Court, Civil Division, order no. 18958/2023)
The article examines a decision upheld by the Italian Supreme Court in the field of unfair competition and unlawful use of industrial secrets, focusing on [...]

When a project submitted to an Italian Public Administration is protectable (and when it is not)
It happens more often than one might think: a professional, a company, or a creative team invests time, skills, and resources to develop a project [...]

Corporate know-how: when a former employee risks criminal liability
Many entrepreneurs associate the “theft” of know-how with material copying: a duplicated file, a cloned project, an identical design. In reality, protection may apply even [...]

CES 2026: what is changing in technology (and why waiting is no longer an option)
CES 2026 (the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas) marked a decisive turning point: artificial intelligence is no longer a novelty, but a baseline condition. [...]

Authorial photographs and the risks of political instrumentalization (Comment on Milan Court, judgment no. 8613/2025)
The article examines the judgment of the Milan Court, 11 November 2025, no. 8613, concerning the protection of photographs and the limits of copyright exceptions. [...]