Disagreement Arises as New York Museums Acknowledge Nazi-Looted Artwork

Following the recent legislation that requires museums in New York to acknowledge artwork stolen by Nazis, a potential disagreement regarding a specific piece has emerged, according to a report.

In August, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law mandating museums to display signs identifying pieces that were looted by the Nazis from 1933 to 1945, as reported by the Associated Press (AP).

The New York Department of Financial Services stated in a press release that about 600,000 paintings were stolen from Jewish individuals during World War II.

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has identified approximately 53 pieces that were taken or sold under duress by the Nazis, according to the museum’s website.

Although these objects were previously returned to their rightful owners before being acquired by the museum, the Met will still provide signs explaining their history, as per the AP.

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The Met’s deputy director for collections and administration, Andrea Bayer, told the AP: “People should be aware of the terrible cost to individuals during World War II, as these confiscations occurred, and how these individuals’ cherished treasures, which had been in their families, were forcibly taken away from them while their lives were being disrupted.”

An oil on canvas 1695 painting by Dutch artist Jan Weenix, “Gamepiece with a Dead Heron” – acquired in 1950 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art – is shown on exhibition at the museum. The painting is among 53 works in the museum’s collection, once looted during the Nazi era, but returned to their designated owners before being obtained by the museum. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art stated to the AP that it does not intend to display a sign for “The Actor,” a painting by Picasso given to the museum as a gift in 1952.

The painting was previously owned by Paul Leffmann, a Jewish businessman who sold it for $13,200 in 1938 to a Paris art dealer while fleeing Germany, as reported by AP.

In 2016, Leffmann’s great-grandniece, Laurel Zuckerman, filed a $100 million lawsuit against the museum, alleging that the painting was sold under duress, according to Reuters.

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The lawsuit was later dismissed by a court, but Lawrence Kaye, one of Zuckerman’s lawyers, told the AP that the Met should still publicly acknowledge the disputed history of the painting.

“I believe this piece should be covered under the law,” Kaye said. “Although it was dismissed on technical grounds, I think it should still be covered under the broad definition of the law as stated.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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