Guggenheim’s Blue Period Picasso Holocaust Restitution Claim Dismissed by Judge
A federal judge in New York recently dismissed a restitution claim against the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation by heirs of German Jewish collectors seeking the return of Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period painting, La repasseuse (Woman Ironing, 1904). The lawsuit claimed that the painting was sold under duress in 1938 while fleeing Nazi persecution. However, the judge ruled that the claimants failed to prove coercion in the sale and that the Hear Act of 2016 did not apply due to the heirs’ knowledge of the painting’s ownership for over 40 years. The Guggenheim Foundation confirmed reaching out to the family regarding the painting’s provenance before acquisition. While the claim was dismissed, the judge noted the tragic impact of the Nazis on the family’s lives. The lawsuit was initiated by the great-grandchild of the collectors, Thomas Bennigson, who had previously settled a similar case regarding another Picasso painting once owned by his relatives.
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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.