A painting stolen by Nazis during World War II has surfaced in Argentina, decades after it vanished from the collection of a Jewish art dealer in the Netherlands. The discovery was made after a real estate listing showed the artwork hanging in a Buenos Aires home once owned by a former Nazi official.
The piece, Portrait of a Lady by 18th-century Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, appeared in a photo on an estate agent’s website advertising the property. Researchers from the Netherlands’ Cultural Heritage Agency reviewed the image and believe the painting is original, not a reproduction.
The artwork had been part of the collection of Jacques Goudstikker, a prominent Dutch Jewish art dealer who fled the Netherlands in 1940 as Nazi forces advanced. He died during the escape, and his collection—over 1,100 works—was forcibly sold to high-ranking Nazi leaders, including Hermann Göring.
Lost masterpiece linked to former SS officer
Although hundreds of the stolen artworks were recovered after the war and displayed in Dutch museums, many pieces remained missing for decades. In 2006, Goudstikker’s daughter-in-law, Marei von Saher, regained ownership of 202 recovered works after years of legal efforts. The Ghislandi portrait, however, was not among them.
According to Dutch newspaper AD, wartime documents revealed the painting had likely been in the possession of Friedrich Kadgien, an SS officer and financial adviser to Göring. Kadgien fled Europe in 1945, eventually settling in Argentina, where he built a business career. He died in 1979.
Discovery sparks new restitution effort
The recent listing of Kadgien’s former home—now owned by his daughter—led to the rediscovery of the painting. AD reports that another looted piece, a floral still-life by Dutch painter Abraham Mignon, also appeared on one of the daughter’s social media posts. Efforts by reporters to speak with the family were unsuccessful. One daughter claimed not to recognize the artwork.
The Cultural Heritage Agency’s Annelies Kool and Perry Schrier confirmed there is no indication the painting is a copy. Legal representatives for Goudstikker’s estate said they will pursue the return of the artwork.
Von Saher stated that her family remains committed to recovering every painting stolen by Nazis from Goudstikker’s collection. She said the effort is not only about restitution but also about preserving the legacy of a man who helped others escape Nazi persecution.
