Prosecutor asks court to stop museum’s sale of Rockwell art

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Prosecutors are asking a court to halt a Massachusetts museum’s plans to sell 40 works of art, including two by Norman Rockwell.

State Attorney General Maura Healey’s office urged the court Monday to stop the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield from selling the art until the legal questions are sorted out. Rockwell’s three sons had requested the order to stop the museum.

The Democratic attorney general says her office hasn’t finished its investigation into the possible sale beginning Nov. 13. She says it may be impossible to get the artworks back if a court later finds the museum wasn’t allowed to sell them in the first place.

A lawyer for the museum said it continues to believe there are no legal barriers to the sales.