Pierre Moro - Sale Correction -dany - Beatrix - Marie Delvaux Link

The lot in question was listed as "Collection Marie Delvaux – Assorted works, circa 1950-1960, attributed to the School of Namur."

Beatrix remains an active collector but now hires a forensic art detective before every major purchase. She recently told Le Soir : “I don’t buy stories anymore. I buy papers. And if there is no paper, I walk away.” The lot in question was listed as "Collection

The problem? The sale included a specific signed canvas attributed to a famous pupil of James Ensor . Pierre Moro’s cataloging erroneously identified the piece as a . And if there is no paper, I walk away

The court ordered one of three remedies: (1) Price reduction, (2) Return of the goods, or (3) Annulment. Beatrix, furious, demanded annulment plus damages for loss of investment opportunity. The courtroom drama took a turn when Dany attempted to shift all liability onto Pierre Moro. Dany’s defense argued that he was merely a layman heir who hired Moro as a professional expert. “I told Pierre I didn’t know what the paintings were,” Dany testified. “He assured me he could sell them as originals.” The court ordered one of three remedies: (1)

Sources close to the investigation suggest that Moro was too trusting of a verbal history provided by Dany. Dany had claimed that the works were purchased directly by Marie Delvaux from the artists. Moro did not perform a chemical analysis of the pigment or consult the archives of the artist’s foundation. He simply took Dany’s word, sold the lot to Beatrix for €1.2 million, and paid Dany his share (minus a 35% commission). Six months after the transaction, Beatrix attempted to resell the crown jewel of the collection through a Brussels auction house. That is where the wheels fell off. The auction house’s expert refused to list the piece.