{"id":55833,"date":"2026-08-25T13:35:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T13:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/55833\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T13:35:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T13:35:09","slug":"photographer-sues-artist-for-turning-his-photo-of-british-rock-band-oasis-into-2-million-painting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/55833\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographer Sues Artist for Turning His Photo of British Rock Band Oasis Into $2 Million Painting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"APhotographer Justin Thomas has sued Elizabeth Peyton for copying his 1995 photo of Liam and Noel Gallagher of rock band Oasis (left) in her 1996 painting \u2018Earl\u2019s Court (Liam + Noel)\u2019 (right) | Images via court documents<\/a> <\/p>\n

A music photographer has sued an artist for turning his photo of British rock group Oasis into a painting, which sold for almost $2 million. <\/p>\n

Rock photographer Justin Thomas filed the copyright infringement lawsuit<\/a> against American contemporary artist Elizabeth Peyton in the Southern District of New York on August 20 \u2014 accusing her of copying virtually every element of his photograph of Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher kissing in her painting. In May, Peyton\u2019s painting was reportedly sold by Sotheby\u2019s auction house for $1,920,000.<\/p>\n

According to a report by Copyright Lately,<\/a> Thomas took the photo of the Oasis brothers<\/a> kissing at an afterparty in Earl\u2019s Court, London in 1995, at the height of the British band\u2019s fame. Thomas\u2019 photograph captured a rare moment of tenderness between the famously feuding brothers, a striking contrast to their often volatile relationship. The image was later featured in black and white on the cover of Thomas\u2019 Oasis photography book.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"LiamJustin Thomas\u2019 photograph of Oasis kissing in Earl\u2019s Court, London, in 1995. \"AnElizabeth Peyton\u2019s painting \u2018Earl\u2019s Court (Liam + Noel)\u2019 (1996) <\/p>\n

Copyright Lately reports that in 1996, artist Peyton created an oil painting of Liam and Noel sharing the same kiss. Peyton, a leading contemporary artist, frequently bases her work on photographs and other existing images. Her painting, Earl\u2019s Court (Liam + Noel), closely follows Thomas\u2019s photograph. Furthermore, the connection between the painting and the photograph has been publicly noted in the media for years. For example, art advisor Todd Levin \u2014 who says he sold Peyton\u2019s painting for $12,000 in 1998 \u2014 recently shared the images side by side on social media<\/a>, saying it \u201creproduces a photograph\u201d of the Gallagher brothers.<\/p>\n

\u2018A Slavish Copy\u2019 of a Photograph <\/p>\n

According to the lawsuit, Thomas says Peyton\u2019s painting was completely unknown to him until Sotheby\u2019s reached out earlier this year. The auction house was preparing to offer Earl\u2019s Court (Liam + Noel) at its May contemporary art sale in New York, with an estimated value of $1.5 million to $2 million. Sotheby\u2019s asked to use Thomas\u2019s photograph in an online catalog essay as a \u201ccomparative illustration,\u201d and he agreed to a $2,000 licensing fee covering one year online and two weeks on a printed lot card.<\/p>\n

However, a week later the photograph was removed by the auction house. Sotheby\u2019s told Thomas it had been removed \u201cat the request of the artist\u2019s representative.\u201d The auction house then asked to lower the fee because the photograph had not received its full planned use, and Thomas accepted $1,500. After seeing Peyton\u2019s painting, Thomas came to believe that her representative had asked Sotheby\u2019s to remove his photograph from the catalog to \u201chide the origins\u201d of what he describes as \u201cjust a slavish copy\u201d of his original image.<\/p>\n

\"AnA screenshot of Elizabeth Peyton\u2019s painting listed on the Davis Zwirner Gallery\u2019s website, is included in Justin Thomas\u2019 lawsuit <\/p>\n

Last week, Thomas sued Peyton, Sotheby\u2019s and David Zwirner Gallery, which represents Peyton and features the painting on its website, alleging copyright infringement. The lawsuit claims that Peyton\u2019s painting copies nearly every element of Thomas\u2019s photograph and accuses Sotheby\u2019s and Zwirner Gallery of further infringing his copyright by reproducing, displaying, and distributing the work.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe [Peyton] copies the captured iconic moment, the famous feuding Gallagher brothers in a kiss. She copies the theme, the brutish rock stars caught being tender. She copies the composition, the side-profile angle of Liam on the left and the front-facing angle of Noel on the right are identical,\u201d the lawsuit alleges. \u201cShe copies their expressions, the facial expression, the contrasting coloring of the lips and the fact. She copies the tilt of the head, the hair, the eyebrows, the placement of their hands and arms, the lighting. The ring worn on Liam\u2019s hand remains visible in the same positioning near Noel\u2019s collar. The similarities are numerous and so striking\u201d<\/p>\n

This is not the first time Peyton has faced a legal challenge by a photographer. Peyton was previously sued by photographer Dennis Morris over her drawings based on his photos of the band Sex Pistols. The case was settled out of court.<\/a> <\/p>\n

Image creditsAll photos via court documents<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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