One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
$3 Million Painting Stolen By Nazis in 1944 Now At LACMA
The recovered Nazi-looted painting by Bernardo Strozzi was installed at LACMA (Photo via Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
It's not everyday that someone is reunited with the artwork they lost to Nazis almost 70 years ago. A Baroque-era painting was returned last week to the sole descendent of the owner after it was looted by the Nazis in 1944, and the new owner, Philippa Calnan, donated it directly to LACMA.
The 1615 piece from artist Bernardo Strozzi was installed in LACMA's galleries for European art on Monday. The Baroque-era painting is valued between $2.5 million to $3 million, and is a painting of the life-sized figure of St. Catherine of Alexandria and is marked by its iridescent colors, The Los Angeles Times reported.
An Italian court gave the painting to Calnan—who was a retired public affairs director at LACMA and decided to donate the piece to the museum—on Nov. 22. The painting had showed up on the art market in 2008 when it was seen in Vienna; when Sotheby's had been contacted about buying the masterpiece, they recognized it as having been looted by Nazis, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Associated Press reported earlier this month a treasure trove of more than 1,400 pieces of artwork was found in a German apartment in Feb. 2012, with many to have been believed that were stolen by the Nazis.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
