Late artist’s children in legal battle over paintings

The children of celebrated Australian painter Charles Blackman are locked in a legal battled over their late father’s prized works.

The late Charles Blackman in front of his painting ‘Three Girls’.

The children of one of Australia’s most celebrated painters, Charles Blackman, are locked in a legal battle over their late father’s prized works worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Beatrice, Felix and Christabel Blackman are accused of withholding dozens of prints, sculptures and other artwork by their father from the family trust.

Mr Blackman, who is best known for the Schoolgirls and Alice in Wonderland series of the 1950s, gifted the total collection of his artwork to the Blackman Children’s Trust in 1994, according to court documents obtained by the Herald Sun.

It is understood the BC Trust, which was established many years prior to his death in 2018, is a family trust involving multiple members of the extended Blackman family including his six children.

The BC Trust claim they have, at all times, been the owner of the collection of artwork.

Over the ensuing years, Beatrice, Felix and Christabel were involved in the sale of the works, with the proceeds to be split between themselves and the trust.

But Blueco Pty Ltd – who are the trustees – say sculptures, prints and further artworks worth more than $700,000 are missing and the three Blackman children have refused to return the pieces.

The Herald Sun understands the siblings will be defending the claims.

Christabel and Bertie Blackman at their father’s exhibition at Harvey House Gallery and Sculpture Park in 2018. Picture: Adam Yip

Bertie and Felix Blackman.

Blueco claims Mr Blackman made the initial gift of his entire collection in April 1994 – a gift he acknowledged in writing signed by him, a statement of claim alleges.

Between 2013 and 2014, 45 sculptures and 36 prints were delivered to Beatrice and Felix to sell on behalf of the trust, court documents allege.

Blueco claims that in 2016 it was agreed all works would be returned to the BC Trust immediately.

But two years later, 12 sculptures and 13 prints had yet to be returned – despite repeated demands by Blueco, it is claimed.

The missing works are estimated to be worth almost $70,000 – a sum the BC Trust claims it has been ‘wrongfully deprived’ of.

The BC Trust also alleges further artworks from the Charles Blackman collection were delivered to Beatrice and Christabel in May 2018 in order to be sold.

The collection is valued at $702,820, which, upon sale, was to be split evenly between Beatrice and Christabel, and the BC Trust.

The siblings have also failed to return these artworks, it is alleged.

A statement of claim alleges they have derived “unjust enrichment at the expense of Blueco” by failing to account for any sales of the missing sculptures, prints and further artworks.

The BC Trust is seeking more than $800,000 from Beatrice “Bertie” Blackman, an ARIA award-winning singer-songwriter and artist in her own right. And more than $732,000 from Christabel, also an artist, and $69,000 from Felix, a Tasmanian-based architect and graphic designer.

Blueco is also seeking a mandatory injunction, forcing the three children to reveal the current location of the outstanding prints, sculptures and artworks as well as damages for unlawful detention of the work and restitution.

Lawyers for the parties did not wish to comment on the proceedings.

Mr Blackman was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Australian art in 1977.

He was married to poet Barbara Blackman for 27 years – who he depicted as Alice in his Alice in Wonderland series – and they had three children together: Auguste, Christabel and Barnaby.

He then married Genevieve de Couvreur and had children Felix and Bertie, but divorced after eight years, following which he married his third wife, Victoria Bower, with whom he had son, Axiom.

He died in Sydney in August 2018, aged 90.