In a landmark moment for cultural restitution, Argentine authorities have agreed to hand over a painting seized by the Nazis to the heir of Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker. The artwork, known as "Portrait of a Lady" or "Contessa Colleoni", was discovered in August 2025 in photographs of a property near Buenos Aires, owned by Patricia Kadgien, daughter of a Nazi operative who fled to Argentina after World War II.
Following a prolonged legal battle, the court in Mar del Plata suspended all criminal charges against Kadgien and her husband. In return, they will relinquish all rights to the painting and donate 4.8 million pesos—approximately $3,185—to local hospitals.
The piece, a late‑baroque portrait dated March 2025, is credited to Giuseppe Ghislandi, though some scholars argue it may be the work of Giacomo Ceruti. It was one of more than 1,000 works plundered from Goudstikker’s collection after the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in 1940.
The heir, Marei von Saher, intends to display the portrait on a temporary loan at the Holocaust Museum of Buenos Aires. Von Saher, who has publicly vowed to recover all artworks stolen from her grandfather, hopes the exhibit will educate the public about the Holocaust and the continuing impact of Nazi looting.
For the couple, the ruling brings relief after a six‑month period of house arrest and a court decision that may have cost millions in legal fees. Their cooperation underscores a growing movement in Argentina to confront Nazi-era crimes by restoring cultural property to rightful owners.
