Art Institute of Chicago disputes Nazi loot claim for Egon Schiele portrait
The Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) refutes claims by the New York City District Attorney’s Office regarding the 1916 Egon Schiele painting, “Russian War Prisoner.” The museum maintains that the artwork was lawfully sold by surviving family members and was not looted during the Second World War. The New York court allowed the District Attorney’s Office to take possession of the painting, pending a ruling on its restitution to the heirs of Holocaust victim Franz Friedrich “Fritz” Grünbaum. The heirs had previously sought the painting’s return through a lawsuit, but a federal court ruled in favor of the museum, stating that it was a good-faith possessor. Despite the District Attorney’s criminal court claim of Nazi-era looting, the AIC asserts that there is no evidence the painting was physically seized by the Nazis. The museum argues that the artwork was sold by Grünbaum’s sister-in-law in 1956 and that no documentation supports the theory of Nazi confiscation. The court has yet to set a date for a hearing on the conflicting claims. The New York City District Attorney’s Office will respond to the museum’s assertions in court.
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Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.