Stolen artworks from the Holocaust era removed from an auction in Ohio
In a recent turn of events, two 17th-century paintings, believed to be by Dutch artist Ambrosius Bosschaert, have been removed from an auction block due to Holocaust art restitution. The paintings, originally belonging to the family of Adolphe Schloss, a German Jew whose home was seized and divided by the Nazis during World War II, were discovered by the Monuments Men and Women Foundation after a tip.
The Schloss family's collection, including these two paintings, was stored at Hitler's headquarters in Munich before being stolen in the final days of the war. The paintings were listed as unclaimed property on the auction house's website, and the name of the consignor has not been disclosed.
The paintings were set to be sold at an auction house in Newark, Ohio, this month. However, the Monuments Men and Women Foundation, led by Robert Edsel, founder and chair, documented the paintings' history, inspected them, and removed them from the auction, aiming to return them to the Schloss family.
Robert Edsel flew to Newark to meet with the owners of the Apple Tree Auction Center regarding the paintings. Anna Bottinelli, the foundation's president, stated that hundreds of thousands of cultural objects looted during WWII are still missing, some in the United States.
This incident highlights a controversy over a Tel Aviv art museum supporting an auction house's actions. It also brings to light the ongoing issue of looted art, some of which came home with US soldiers as souvenirs from liberating Europe from the Nazis.
In response, a new California law is aimed at aiding Holocaust art restitution. Heirs have already received 7 Egon Schiele artworks stolen by Nazis. The Schloss children survived but were reunited with only some of their family heirlooms.
The foundation is seeking to obtain the name of the bank that owned the safety deposit box where the paintings were found. The bank that holds the secure depot containing the two painted flower still lifes of the Schloss family is not specified in the provided search results.
The highest bids for the paintings were listed on the auction house's website as $3,250 and $225, but they could be valued at over $500,000. The value of these paintings underscores the importance of restitution, not just for the monetary worth, but for the historical and emotional significance they hold for the Schloss family and other victims of the Holocaust.
As efforts continue to reunite stolen art with its rightful owners, it serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance and the importance of preserving history. The story of the Schloss family's collection is a testament to the power of art, the resilience of humanity, and the ongoing quest for justice.
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