Tuesday, September 8, 2026 - An Argentine court has ordered the return of an 18th-century Old Master painting looted by the Nazis during World War II to Marei von Saher, heir of Dutch-Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker.
Portrait of a Lady, now attributed to Italian painter Giacomo Antonio Melchiorre Ceruti and valued at around €250,000, had been missing for decades before it was discovered in a home in Mar del Plata.
The painting was identified in 2025 after it appeared in photographs from a property advertisement. It had been hanging in the home of Patricia Kadgien, daughter of former Nazi official Friedrich Kadgien.
Following legal proceedings, Kadgien and her husband agreed to surrender any claim to the artwork, allowing the court to approve its restitution to von Saher. The couple will avoid trial under an agreement that includes two years of judicial supervision and a financial contribution to a local hospital.
The ruling marks a significant step in the continuing effort to recover art stolen from Jewish families under Nazi persecution. Von Saher has said she hopes the painting can remain temporarily in Argentina and be displayed publicly before being returned to her family.
The case is also drawing attention because the artwork was recovered from private hands through criminal proceedings, rather than through a settlement with a museum or government institution.
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