A painting stolen by the Nazis during World War II has been discovered in Argentina thanks to an unlikely source: a real estate advertisement. The artwork, "Portrait of a Lady" by Italian painter Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi, was found hanging over a sofa in a villa in Mar del Plata after journalists spotted it in online property photos. Argentine authorities conducted a search of the villa on Tuesday following the discovery.
The painting originally belonged to Jacques Goudstikker, a Jewish art dealer from Amsterdam whose extensive collection was seized by the Nazis. Goudstikker died in 1940 while fleeing from the National Socialists. More than 780 works from his collection were appropriated by high-ranking Nazi officials, including this portrait believed to depict Countess Cecilia Colleoni.
Journalists from the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad made the remarkable discovery after years of investigation into missing Nazi-looted art. The reporters had suspected that the painting might be in the possession of descendants of Friedrich Gustav Kadgien, a former Nazi officer who fled to Argentina after the war and died there in 1978. Under President Juan Perón's administration, numerous National Socialists found refuge in the South American country, often bringing stolen art and valuables with them.
The breakthrough came when the journalists noticed a "For Sale" sign at a villa belonging to Kadgien's family. When they searched for the property's online listing, they were surprised to find the missing artwork clearly visible in the real estate photos, displayed more clearly than it had appeared in databases of lost artworks. Art experts subsequently confirmed the painting's authenticity.
While the exact value of this particular work is unknown, Ghislandi's paintings are featured in major museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The artist's works are considered significant examples of 18th-century Italian portraiture, making this discovery particularly important for art historians and the families of Holocaust victims.
The Dutch government has already returned more than 200 artworks to Goudstikker's heirs as part of ongoing restitution efforts, but numerous paintings from his collection remain missing to this day. The Goudstikker case represents one of the most significant Nazi art looting operations, involving hundreds of valuable works that were systematically stolen from Jewish collectors.
According to the Algemeen Dagblad reporters, their attempts to contact the villa's current residents were unsuccessful. The discovery highlights the ongoing challenges in tracking down Nazi-looted art, which often surfaces decades later in unexpected locations around the world.
The future of the painting remains uncertain, with the reporters suggesting that legal disputes may be forthcoming. Goudstikker's family has announced their intention to pursue the return of the artwork, which could involve complex international legal proceedings. This case underscores the continuing efforts to locate and return cultural treasures stolen during one of history's darkest periods, demonstrating how modern technology and persistent journalism can help bring closure to families affected by Nazi persecution.
