A long-lost masterpiece stolen during the Nazi occupation of Europe has turned up in an unexpected place: an Argentine real estate listing, according to the BBC.
The painting, «Portrait of a Lady» by Italian master Giuseppe Ghislandi, vanished during World War II. It resurfaced decades later when sharp-eyed viewers noticed it hanging on a wall in online photos. The house was owned by Patricia Kadgien, whose father worked as an aide to Hermann Göring, one of the most powerful figures in Nazi Germany.
Kadgien’s lawyer gave the 1710 artwork to prosecutors. Art expert Ariel Bassano examined it, saying it was in good condition after all these years and valued it at about $50,000.
Authorities put Kadgien and her husband under house arrest, suspecting they knew the art was stolen. The couple says they inherited the painting legally, but they could still be charged with hiding stolen property connected to genocide.
The investigation has grown. Police searched other family properties and found several 19th-century drawings and engravings. Experts are now checking if these works were also taken during the Nazi regime’s art thefts.
The case echoes the tragic story of Jacques Goudstikker, a prominent Amsterdam art dealer who died fleeing the Nazi invasion. His collection was seized and sold off despite his family’s protests. Today, his daughter-in-law, Marei von Saher, continues the fight to recover his scattered legacy, the BBC reported.
