Michael McCartney threatened legal action against the 59-year-old actor after realising his Just Four Guys piece was a colourful reinterpretation of the photographer's black and white shot of the Beatles, reported Contactmusic.
Brosnan painted the picture for his wife Cassandra Harris, who was a big Beatles fan, and had no idea it would cause a fuss.
Showing off the picture and the original McCartney photo during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the movie star said, "Michael, bless him, took a little umbrage at it... because it's copyrighted and I didn't know anything about copyright... I just did the painting for her.
Harris died in 1991 and Brosnan is now married to journalist-author Keely Shaye Smith.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
SAVE 25%
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Subscribe
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
SAVE 25%