After 11 Years in Court, Heir Reclaims a Modigliani Looted by the Nazis
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The estate of Jewish antiques dealer Oscar Stettiner has sought for over a decade to reclaim a valuable 1918 Modigliani painting, "Seated Man With a Cane," allegedly confiscated during the Nazi occupation of France.
- The Nahmad family, through their holding company International Art Center, purchased the painting at auction in 1996 and has disputed the claim, questioning whether it is the same artwork originally owned by Stettiner.
- On Friday, New York Supreme Court Judge Joel M. Cohen ruled in favor of Stettiner’s estate, confirming the painting is the same and that the estate is entitled to its possession.
- The judge stated that Stettiner either owned or had superior right of possession before the painting’s unlawful seizure and never voluntarily relinquished it.
