Argentine Court Returns Nazi-Looted Painting to Heir
A portrait looted during World War II from a Jewish art dealer is set to be returned to his heir, following a decision by an Argentine court. The court approved an agreement on Friday that allows for the restitution of the painting to Marei von Saher, the heir of Jacques Goudstikker, a notable Dutch-Jewish art dealer. The agreement was reached after the daughter of a Nazi official agreed to relinquish her claim to avoid legal proceedings.
The artwork, known as “Portrait of a Lady,” was part of Goudstikker’s prestigious collection that was forcefully sold to Nazi officials after Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940. Patricia Kadgien, daughter of Nazi financial advisor Friedrich Kadgien, and her husband, were accused of concealing the painting despite its status as a sought-after item by investigators. They have agreed to forego their claims on the painting in exchange for avoiding trial and will remain under court supervision for two years, during which they must contribute to a local hospital and maintain contact with authorities.
This resolution concludes a long search for the painting and a legal battle that began after Dutch journalists identified the portrait in an online real estate listing for Kadgien’s home in Mar del Plata. The listing was removed shortly after the discovery, prompting police raids that initially failed to recover the artwork. It was eventually handed over by Kadgien’s lawyer.
Originally attributed to Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi, the painting has now been authenticated as a piece by Giacomo Antonio Melchiorre Ceruti, as determined by Argentina’s National Academy of Fine Arts. Experts have appraised the painting, part of Goudstikker’s collection, at approximately 250,000 euros ($290,000).
Jacques Goudstikker was a prominent art dealer whose collection included masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer. After the Nazi invasion in May 1940, Goudstikker perished while escaping Amsterdam. An estimated 1,100 pieces from his collection were unlawfully sold to Hermann Göring, a leading figure in Hitler’s regime. The exact means by which “Portrait of a Lady” came into Kadgien’s possession remain unclear. Kadgien fled to Argentina after the war and died in 1978 without facing charges.
Marei von Saher, who resides in Greenwich, Connecticut, has devoted decades to reclaiming her family’s stolen art. She has agreed to allow the painting to be displayed in Argentina before it returns to her. During recent searches, authorities seized additional artworks, which are under investigation to determine if they were also looted during the war.
For further details, visit the Associated Press.
