A long lost painting looted decades ago in Nazi-occupied Europe has been recovered in Argentina, officials have announced.
The artwork, 'Portrait of a Lady,' by Italian master Giuseppe Ghislandi, had been missing for 80 years before it was spotted last month on an estate agent's website, where it was depicted hanging in a house owned by the daughter of a Nazi fugitive.
Patricia Kadgien's late father, Friedrich, was a high-ranking adviser to Hermann Göring, Adolf Hitler's deputy, known for plundering thousands of artworks across Europe.
According to prosecutors, the painting was returned by Ms. Kadgien's lawyer after a prior search of her property did not locate the artwork.
Ariel Bassano, an art expert who assisted in the recovery, praised the painting's condition, valuing it at about $50,000. The portrait was discovered after raids at additional properties owned by the Kadgien family revealed other potentially looted artworks.
Although Ms. Kadgien and her husband face potential charges involving the 'concealment of theft in the context of genocide,' they claim rightful ownership of the painting. They assert a plan to cooperate with authorities moving forward.
The 'Portrait of a Lady' was originally part of the collection of Amsterdam art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, and it is cataloged in a database of art stolen by the Nazis. Efforts continue to recover more of Goudstikker's legacy, with ongoing investigations into artworks from Nazi-occupied territories.
