A real estate listing in Argentina has captured international attention after observers identified what appears to be Nazi-looted artwork hanging above a sofa in one of the property photos. The painting, believed to be a portrait of an Italian countess by Giuseppe Ghislandi (1655-1743), was spotted in a house for sale in the coastal city of Mar del Plata.
The artwork in question is thought to be "Portrait of a Woman," which depicts Countess Cecilia Colleoni and is among the missing works from the extensive collection of Dutch-Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker. Goudstikker died in 1940 while fleeing from the Nazis, and more than 780 works from his possession were subsequently appropriated by high-ranking officials of the Nazi regime. The exact value of this particular painting remains unknown, though works by Ghislandi are displayed in prestigious institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The discovery was made by journalists from the Dutch newspaper "Algemeen Dagblad," which has been conducting extensive research into works from Goudstikker's collection. The reporters had long suspected that the painting might be found among the descendants of Friedrich Kadgien in Argentina. Kadgien was one of Hitler's financial experts who was responsible for administering Jewish assets during the Nazi era. In what they describe as an incredible stroke of luck, the journalists spotted a "for sale" sign at a villa belonging to Kadgien's descendants and subsequently found the corresponding real estate listing online, where they discovered the painting hanging above a sofa.
Nazi art looting remains a current issue today, as tens of thousands of artworks illegally changed hands between 1933 and 1945. Victims of the Nazi regime, particularly Jews, were dispossessed of their belongings, and these artworks were then sold at absurdly low prices to regime actors. The most prominent art collector of that era was Hermann Göring, Adolf Hitler's aviation minister, whose collection is now documented at the German Historical Museum.
According to press reports, the Kadgien descendants are believed to possess another looted artwork: a still life by German-Dutch painter Abraham Mignon (1640-1679), whose works can be admired at institutions such as the Städel Museum in Frankfurt. The journalists' attempts to contact the house's residents have failed, and the photo featuring the painting has since been removed from the internet. However, the reporters remain confident that it is the sought-after painting and that the photo shows no reproduction, citing the dimensions that correspond to those of the original.
The authenticity of the painting remains unconfirmed, as only a detailed analysis by experts can verify such claims. Specialists would need to clarify various criteria, including the exact provenance of the painting and the materials from which it is composed. This verification process has not yet occurred, as only a photograph of the painting is currently available. It is theoretically possible to create a reproduction of a painting in the dimensions of the original.
The future of the painting that was seen above the sofa in the Argentine living room remains unclear. The "Algemeen Dagblad" reporters speculate that lengthy legal disputes could follow. In any case, the family of art dealer Jacques Goudstikker intends to fight to recover their ancestors' possessions, continuing the ongoing struggle to return Nazi-looted art to its rightful owners.
