Court Returns Painting To Jewish Estate

 

AP — COURT RULES NAZI-AUCTIONED PAINTING BELONGS TO JEWISH MAN’S ESTATE

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A federal judge in Providence has ruled that a painting forcibly auctioned by the Nazis rightfully belongs to the estate of a late Jewish art dealer.

In a ruling, US District Court Judge Mary Lisi ordered an elderly German baroness now living in Providence to hand over the painting to the estate of Max Stern.

The painting, titled “Girl from the Sabiner Mountains,’’ is believed to be a Nineteenth Century work by Franz Xaver Winterhalter.

Stern’s family owned an art gallery in Germany, but Nazi authorities ordered him to auction off its holdings.

The stepfather of Maria-Luise Bissonnette purchased the painting, which Bissonnette eventually inherited.

Stern’s estate sued in 2006 to get the painting back.

Bissonnette’s lawyer did not return a call seeking comment.