NEW YORK, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. couple have won a legal battle over the right to cover the exterior of their house with Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night mural.
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 U.S. dollars as 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.
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 U.S. 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, writes on Twitter that the peaceful settlement is a "starry victory."
