An 18th-century painting, "Portrait of a Lady" by Giacomo Ceruti, has been ordered for return to the heirs of its original owner, Dutch Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, by an Argentine federal judge. The artwork, believed to have been looted by Nazis during World War II, resurfaced unexpectedly in a real estate listing in Mar del Plata, Argentina, leading to its recovery.
Goudstikker, who amassed a collection of over 1,100 artworks, was forced to flee the Netherlands in 1940 as German forces advanced. He died during his escape, and his collection was systematically seized. Among those involved in the art confiscation was Friedrich Kadgien, a Nazi official who later settled in Argentina.
Decades later, Kadgien's daughter, Patricia Kadgien, listed her home for sale. An image of the painting hanging above a couch in the living room appeared in the online real estate advertisement. The painting had been listed on international missing art registries for approximately 80 years.
A Dutch journalist investigating the Goudstikker collection recognized the artwork and alerted authorities. The discovery led to an investigation by Argentine officials, who raided Kadgien's property. Although the painting had been removed by the time of the raid, investigators seized documents and other items that helped build the case.
Kadgien and her husband, Juan Carlos Cortegoso, were charged with concealment. They eventually reached an agreement, relinquishing all claims to the painting and donating approximately $3,200 to a local children's hospital in exchange for the suspension of criminal proceedings against them.
This marks what is believed to be the first instance of the Argentine justice system recovering and restituting a painting looted by Nazis during World War II. The painting, previously misattributed, was confirmed by the National Academy of Fine Arts in Argentina to be by Ceruti and is valued at $288,000.
While the recovery of "Portrait of a Lady" is a significant victory for the Goudstikker heirs, hundreds of other pieces from the collection remain unaccounted for globally. In 2006, the Dutch government returned over 200 works from Goudstikker's collection to his heirs.