A painting stolen by the Nazis from a Jewish art dealer in Amsterdam has been spotted on the website of an estate agent selling a house in Argentina, more than 80 years after it was taken. The artwork, Portrait of a Lady by Giuseppe Ghislandi, was discovered hanging above a sofa in a property near Buenos Aires that was previously owned by a senior Nazi official who migrated to South America post-World War II.
The piece appears on a database of lost wartime art and was tracked after the house was put up for sale by the official’s daughter, as reported by Dutch newspaper AD.
This artwork is one of many that were looted from art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, who was known for aiding Jewish families during the war. Goudstikker's collection faced a forced sale after his death, and many pieces ended up with senior Nazis, including Hermann Göring.
Reports indicate that Goudstikker died at sea while attempting to escape the Netherlands and is now buried in England. Following the war, some of the artworks from his collection were recovered and displayed in Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. Goudstikker’s sole remaining heir, Marei von Saher, was given 202 pieces in 2006. However, significant pieces like Ghislandi's portrait remained unaccounted for until this current discovery.
An investigation by AD has linked the painting to Friedrich Kadgien, an SS officer and aide to Göring, who fled Germany during the war and settled in Argentina, where he achieved success as a businessman. Kadgien passed away in 1979, with U.S. files noting that he had substantial assets.
Attempts to connect with Kadgien's daughters regarding their father's acquisition of the painting have yielded little information, with one stating, I don’t know what information you want from me and I don’t know what painting you are talking about.
Lawyers representing Goudstikker’s estate are determined to recover the painting, with von Saher stating, My family aims to bring back every single artwork robbed from Jacques’ collection, and to restore his legacy.\
The piece appears on a database of lost wartime art and was tracked after the house was put up for sale by the official’s daughter, as reported by Dutch newspaper AD.
This artwork is one of many that were looted from art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, who was known for aiding Jewish families during the war. Goudstikker's collection faced a forced sale after his death, and many pieces ended up with senior Nazis, including Hermann Göring.
Reports indicate that Goudstikker died at sea while attempting to escape the Netherlands and is now buried in England. Following the war, some of the artworks from his collection were recovered and displayed in Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. Goudstikker’s sole remaining heir, Marei von Saher, was given 202 pieces in 2006. However, significant pieces like Ghislandi's portrait remained unaccounted for until this current discovery.
An investigation by AD has linked the painting to Friedrich Kadgien, an SS officer and aide to Göring, who fled Germany during the war and settled in Argentina, where he achieved success as a businessman. Kadgien passed away in 1979, with U.S. files noting that he had substantial assets.
Attempts to connect with Kadgien's daughters regarding their father's acquisition of the painting have yielded little information, with one stating, I don’t know what information you want from me and I don’t know what painting you are talking about.
Lawyers representing Goudstikker’s estate are determined to recover the painting, with von Saher stating, My family aims to bring back every single artwork robbed from Jacques’ collection, and to restore his legacy.\
