Argentine authorities have successfully recovered a valuable 17th-century painting that was allegedly stolen by Nazi forces during World War II. The artwork, titled "Portrait of a Lady" and created by Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, was handed over to prosecutors on Wednesday following an investigation that led to the arrest of two individuals connected to the case.
The painting was voluntarily surrendered to the Mar del Plata Prosecutor's Office by a lawyer representing two people who have been under investigation for the alleged theft. Both suspects have been detained since Monday as part of the ongoing criminal case. The two individuals include a descendant of Nazi official Friedrich Kadgien and her partner, who were placed under house arrest following coordinated raids conducted on Tuesday at multiple locations throughout Mar del Plata.
According to the prosecutor's office, the investigation centers around an alleged theft that occurred during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. Historical archives from the Netherlands indicate that the painting originally belonged to Jacques Goudstikker, a Jewish art dealer whose gallery was systematically looted by Nazi forces in May 1940. The archives further reveal that the artwork subsequently came into the possession of Friedrich Kadgien, a Nazi leader who fled to Argentina after the war ended, like many other Nazi officials seeking to escape prosecution for war crimes.
Kadgien, who died in Buenos Aires in 1978, was among numerous Nazi officials who found refuge in Argentina following Germany's defeat. The South American country became a known destination for fleeing Nazi war criminals during the post-war period. Federal Attorney General Daniel Adler, Assistant Prosecutor Carlos Martinez, and curator Ariel Bassano announced the recovery during a press conference, highlighting the significance of returning stolen artwork to its rightful owners.
The Goudstikker family has been actively working to recover the numerous artworks that were stolen from the dealer more than eight decades ago. This case represents part of a broader international effort to locate and return Nazi-looted art to the families of Holocaust victims and survivors. The two suspects are scheduled to face formal hearings on charges this Thursday, though their legal representatives have not yet publicly disclosed their pleas regarding the allegations.
This recovery adds to the growing list of Nazi-looted artworks that have been discovered and returned to their rightful owners in recent years. The case demonstrates the ongoing efforts by international law enforcement agencies and cultural institutions to address the cultural crimes committed during the Holocaust and World War II, ensuring that stolen cultural treasures are returned to their proper custodians decades after they were illegally seized.
