Nazi-Looted Italian Painting Recovered in Argentina After 80 Years

Argentine authorities have recovered an 18th-century painting titled "Portrait of a Lady" by Italian painter Giuseppe Ghislandi, which was looted by Nazis during World War II from Dutch-Jewish art collector Jacques Goudstikker. The artwork resurfaced after being spotted in an online real estate listing for a property in Mar del Plata, Argentina, owned by Patricia Kadgien, daughter of Nazi SS officer Friedrich Kadgien who fled to Argentina after the war. Following the discovery by Dutch journalists investigating Kadgien's past, the painting was publicly displayed for the first time in 80 years at a federal court in Mar del Plata, with authorities recovering it after several police raids and receiving it from the family. Kadgien and her partner face charges for allegedly hindering efforts to locate the artwork, and authorities continue to investigate other artworks linked to the family that may have been stolen during the Nazi era. The recovery has been welcomed by historians and the heirs of Goudstikker, who have sought the restitution of over 1,100 missing artworks from the original collection. This case highlights ongoing efforts to reclaim Nazi-looted art decades after the conflict.