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Historic Victory: Belgian Artist Christian Silvain wins €650,000 Plagiarism Case in Chinese Court

Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Historic Victory: Belgian Artist Christian Silvain wins €650,000 Plagiarism Case in Chinese Court

The Chinese artist Ye Yongqing has been convicted for plagiarizing the works of Belgian painter Christian Silvain.

A Chinese appeals court upheld the initial ruling, ordering Ye to pay €650,000 in damages and issue an apology in China’s largest newspaper within ten days. Failure to do so could result in imprisonment.

Christian Silvain (74) expressed relief at the news, describing it as "the end of a long battle." For years, he watched as Ye gained fame and fortune using copied versions of his work. The issue surfaced in 2019, when the striking similarities between their artworks were exposed. After a five-year legal battle, the judgment is now final.

Once a celebrated artist and art school professor, Ye Yongqing’s reputation has been shattered. His last exhibition was in 2018, before the plagiarism accusations led to protests from students and condemnation from art critics. He lost his university position, and several museums removed his works.

“I mainly wanted acknowledgment that he copied my work,” said Silvain. He plans to use the compensation to pay his lawyers and collaborators.
The legal battle began in 2019 when a Belgian newspaper, Het Nieuwsblad, highlighted the similarities between Ye’s work and Silvain’s. In September 2023, a Chinese court ruled in Silvain’s favor. Ye appealed but lost again.
Ye profited significantly from his forgeries, with some works selling for up to €600,000 at auctions. Prominent collectors like Microsoft founder Bill Gates and media mogul Rupert Murdoch were among those who purchased his works. Reports indicate Ye amassed a fortune exceeding $15 million through his plagiarized art.
The revelations sent shockwaves through the Chinese art community. Art critic Jia Fangzhou stated, “He has humiliated all of Chinese modern art.” Museums replaced Ye’s works with Silvain’s, reflecting the gravity of the scandal.
Silvain views this as a groundbreaking verdict, emphasizing its importance as the first time a foreigner has won a plagiarism case against a Chinese artist in a Chinese court. “I believe this will make people in China think twice before copying someone else’s work,” he remarked.
Main Image: Christian Silvain, En Manteau Bleu. 
Photographer: Delphine Meersschaert