A warning to authors - your word that you did NOT author a creative work is not the end of story nowadays. You can be sued to say that you did.

A very interesting lawsuit is reported from Chicago, Illinois.

A well-known artist is sued to have him admit that he is the author of a painting - which he denies.

Crazy?

Maybe, but when big money is involved, I guess, anything goes.

Some expert advised the owner that a painting he bought years ago for $100 is now worth millions of dollars because of the suspected authorship of the painting.

The painting was sent to the suspected author for expertise, he said that he was not the author.

And now he is being sued.

Imagine the implications of the lawsuit.

You rise from obscurity and become a famous artist.

Your paintings start to sell for a good amount of money.

As a hypothetical, somebody claims that he or she has a painting that looks like it follows your style - and has a signature that looks like yours.

You know it is not yours - and say so.

And you are sued?

And are forced to admit the painting is yours - or that you do not recall painting it because you were in a LCD-induced delirium?

In order for the owner to be able to sell it for millions of dollars using your fame and reputation?

And you will have to pay heavily to get out of that lawsuit?

Think how many people will drum up look-alike copies and file lawsuits against famous artists for "authentication-through-litigation" if this lawsuit is allowed to continue.

I hope that the lawsuit ends in a summary judgment for the artist - with award of attorney fees against the plaintiff.  Because, if the alleged author says the painting is not his, it should be the end of story.

I will follow this fascinating display of greed and report on it on this blog.

Stay tuned.