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<i> Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation's press</i>

Taking It With Him?: A French museum official is horrified over a published report that an elderly Japanese entrepreneur plans to have paintings by Van Gogh and Renoir cremated with him when he dies. Jacques Sallois, the director of Musees de France, called the idea scandalous and grotesque and is asking for clarification of a story published Monday in England’s Daily Telegraph. The paintings involved--”Portrait of Doctor Gachet” by Van Gogh and “Le Moulin de la Galette” by Renoir--are together worth $160.6 million and are said to be the world’s most expensive paintings. “If he does intend to carry it out . . . it would raise the issue of the world’s right to protect its heritage,” Sallois said.

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