Legal battle over Thomas Kinkade estate settled

It feels like the kind of Christmas miracle depicted in a Thomas Kinkade painting.

The tangled legal battle over Kinkade’s estate, which pitted the late artist’s girlfriend against his estranged wife, has been settled out of court. The San Jose Mercury News reported that the parties have reached a “secret settlement.”

Lawyers for Nanette Kinkade and Amy Pinto released a statement: “Putting Mr. Kinkade’s message of love, spirituality, and optimism at the forefront, the parties are pleased that they have honored Mr. Kinkade by resolving their differences amicably.”

No details of the agreement have been announced. As The Times previously reported, Kinkade’s estate is worth more than $60 million.

Pinto was in a relationship with Kinkade at the time of his death in April. The artist, 54, died of an accidental overdose of alcohol and Valium. Pinto reportedly had two handwritten wills that bequeath her $10 million and Kinkade’s compound in Northern California.

Kinkade, the so-called “Painter of Light,” created paintings of cottages and religious scenes that were popular around the world.

But the artist had fallen on difficult times in the years leading up to his death. He was arrested for driving under the influence in 2010. He also lost a lawsuit filed by a group of gallery owners, contributing to his financial problems.

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Dark portrait of a ‘Painter of Light,’ the Christian-themed Thomas Kinkade