Stolen Treasures Revealed: Major Artworks Seized from Three US Museums Amidst Nazi Looting Allegations
US investigators seize Egon Schiele artworks from 3 US museums, suspecting Nazi looting during WWII The paintings' ownership is in question due to claims made by a Jewish collector
US authorities have confiscated artworks by Austrian painter Egon Schiele from three museums following allegations that the pieces were looted by Nazis from a Jewish collector during World War II. The search warrants, issued by the New York State Supreme Court, identified the museums in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Oberlin, Ohio as locations where the stolen artworks were believed to be held.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office has not provided a comment on CNN's inquiry regarding the investigation's details. However, it is important to note that the Chicago Institute of Arts' "Russian Prisoner of War," Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh's "Portrait of a Man," and the Allen Memorial Art Museums' "Girl with Black Hair" are currently involved in civil lawsuits initiated by Fritz Grünbaum's heirs.
According to court documents submitted by Grünbaum's heirs, the well-known Austrian comic, cabaret star, and songwriter had accumulated nearly 450 art pieces before the war. Significantly, this collection included 81 artworks by Schiele, an expressionist painter and protégé of Gustav Klimt.
The artwork titled "Girl with Black Hair" by Egon Schiele, displayed at the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Ohio, is one of several pieces that the heirs of Jewish collector Fritz Grünbaum claim were pilfered by the Nazis during the course of World War II.
In 1938, Grünbaum was imprisoned in the Dachau concentration camp, where he endured torture and was coerced into signing an illegal power of attorney transferring his rights to his wife. Tragically, he was killed in 1941. According to court records, Grünbaum's wife, Elisabeth, was subsequently forced to sell off his assets, including his valuable art collection, which was plundered and scattered by the Nazis. Sadly, Elisabeth also lost her life in a concentration camp.
The watercolor and pencil artworks on paper, produced by Schiele between 1911 and 1917, are the three seized items. Experts estimate the value of each artwork to be between $1 million and $1.5 million. The family of a deceased American billionaire has agreed to return these looted artifacts to Cambodia.
The Art Institute of Chicago expressed confidence in its legal acquisition and lawful possession of the work, emphasizing that the ongoing civil suit appropriately addresses the matter. Similarly, Oberlin College stated its confidence in the legal acquisition and lawful possession of the Schiele watercolor. Furthermore, they believe that Oberlin is not the focus of the Manhattan District Attorney's criminal investigation related to this issue.
Egon Schiele's "Portrait of a Man," from the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburghs collection.
The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh spokesperson assured CNN that the institution is strongly dedicated to its mission of preserving art and science resources, while adhering to ethical, legal, and professional standards.
The statement emphasized that they would wholeheartedly cooperate with inquiries from the relevant authorities. As specified by the search warrants, the three items are to be seized "in place," allowing them to currently remain at the museums.
