US couple allowed to keep Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' house mural

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A US couple have won a legal battle over the right to cover the exterior of their house with a mural of Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night."

The city council of Mount Dora in central Florida reached a settlement Tuesday with Nancy Nemhauser and Lubomir Jastrzebski who previously were fined 10,000 US dollars because their house mural was considered a violation of local signage codes as well as a distraction to drivers.

The couple sued the city in February for violating their right to free expression, saying that the painting, which is the favorite work of art of their autistic son, was to serve as a beacon in the event of him getting lost.

Lubomir Jastrzebski (L) and Nancy Nembhauser (R) pose with their son in front of the house with the "Starry Night" mural in Mount Dora, Florida. /Reuters Photo

In the event he got lost, “he would be able to at least mention the Van Gogh house and people would be able to help and hopefully bring him home,” Nemhauser told Reuters by phone on Wednesday.

As a result of the peaceful settlement, the house mural is now allowed to stay and can be exempt from future ordinances. Meanwhile, the couple received 15,000 US dollars from the city to cover the legal fees as well as an apology from Mount Dora Mayor Nick Girone.

Girone said the city is pleased to have the matter resolved and has a long history of supporting artists.

"The Starry Night" is one of van Gogh's most famed works. The original 1889 painting is now kept at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Richard Barrenechea, a local artist who painted the mural, wrote on Twitter that the peaceful settlement is a "starry victory."

Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency