A masterpiece stolen from a Jewish art dealer in Amsterdam during World War II has unexpectedly resurfaced in Argentina, only to disappear once again when authorities attempted to recover it. The painting, "Portrait of a Lady" by Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi (known as Fra' Galgario), was confiscated 85 years ago from Jacques Goudstikker, a renowned gallery owner who was forced to flee the Netherlands during the German invasion.
The artwork, which depicts Countess Colleoni, was looted by Friedrich Kadgien along with nearly a thousand other works. Kadgien was a high-ranking Nazi official who, according to reports, was considered one of the major plunderers of Jewish property during the war. Until very recently, no one knew what had become of this masterpiece.
The painting was spotted this week in photographs of a real estate listing for a house being sold in Argentina. Many observers initially questioned how the artwork could have traveled so far, with some suggesting it might be a copy. However, for those familiar with Argentina's history, finding such treasures there is not entirely surprising.
SS officer Friedrich Kadgien ended his life in Argentina after fleeing Germany during the Liberation. The house in question had indeed belonged to him and was being put up for sale by one of his daughters. The mystery seemed solved until a new twist emerged: the painting had vanished again.
When Argentine police arrived at the house to search for the painting, it had disappeared. According to the Argentine newspaper La Capital, officers found a large tapestry depicting a landscape with horses in place of the stolen artwork. The real estate listing was also quickly removed by the agency handling the sale of the house, and Kadgien's daughter deleted her social media accounts.
Journalist Peter Schouten, a correspondent in Argentina for the Dutch media outlet Algemeen Dagblad, attempted to contact the woman. She responded by claiming she didn't know which painting he was referring to, before ending the conversation by saying she was too busy. However, Schouten obtained photographs and videos from inside the house dating to early this month, in which the painting can be clearly seen.
No charges have been filed against the family, but they could potentially face prosecution for possession of stolen goods in the future. Jacques Goudstikker's daughter-in-law continues the relentless search for artworks stolen from her family during the war. In 2006, after eight years of legal proceedings, the Dutch government agreed to return 200 paintings to her.
This was a symbolic victory, but far from sufficient to compensate for all the damage suffered by art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, who died accidentally after slipping in the hold of the ship aboard which he was fleeing Europe. The case highlights the ongoing efforts to recover Nazi-looted art and the complex international legal challenges involved in restitution claims decades after the original theft.
