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Nazi-Looted Artwork from Goudstikker Gallery Found in argentina
A painting stolen during World War II from the Jewish-owned Kunsthandel Goudstikker gallery has been located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, displayed on a real estate website. The artwork,a portrait of the Italian Countess Colleoni by Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi (1655-1743),was in Goudstikker’s possession when its owner,Jacques Goudstikker,died while fleeing to America. Following his death, the gallery’s entire collection was sold at drastically reduced prices to high-ranking Nazis.
Friedrich Kadgien, a financial advisor to Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, acquired the Ghislandi portrait. After the war, Kadgien escaped to South America, and by 1946, the painting’s location was traced to Switzerland. It remained there until surfacing recently in the home of one of Kadgien’s daughters, located above a bank in Buenos Aires.
Journalists from the AD newspaper spent years attempting to contact Kadgien’s two daughters, who resided in Buenos Aires until their deaths in 1978. They received a lead and address from retired Dutchman Paul Post, who had conducted a preliminary inquiry. The breakthrough came when one of the daughters listed her house for sale,and the painting was visible in photos on the broker’s website.The portrait has long been listed on the international Lost Art Database and is also absent from the Dutch National Service for Cultural Heritage’s website. The heirs of Jacques Goudstikker are seeking its return and previously filed a lawsuit against the Dutch state. In 2006,the heirs received 202 artworks from the National Collection as part of a settlement.
Advisors from the National Service for Cultural Heritage, after reviewing photographs, confirmed the painting’s authenticity, citing identifying marks on the back that could provide definitive proof. they anticipate a protracted legal process if the daughters refuse to cooperate. The sisters responded briefly to AD inquiries via Instagram, stating they were unaware of the painting and too busy to answer further questions.
Researchers from the National Service have also identified a second possibly looted artwork in online social media posts by the sisters: a floral still life by Abraham Mignon. While this painting has not yet been claimed by the Goudstikker heirs, investigations are underway to determine how it came into Kadgien’s possession.
