300-year-old painting stolen by an American soldier during World War II returned to German museum

19

A 300-year-old painting, which had been missing since World War II and found its way to the United States, has finally been returned to Germany. The FBI orchestrated the return of this valuable artwork by 18th-century Austrian artist Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer in a ceremony held at the German Consulate in Chicago. The painting, a baroque landscape depicting an Italian countryside, had been on display in Chicago.

The diligent efforts of Art Recovery International, a company specializing in locating and recovering stolen and looted art, played a crucial role in the painting’s recovery. The breakthrough came when an individual in Chicago claimed to possess a “stolen or looted painting” brought to the U.S. by their uncle, a World War II veteran. The painting had been missing since 1945 and was initially reported stolen from the Bavarian State Painting Collections in Munich, Germany. It was cataloged in the German Lost Art Foundation’s database in 2012, according to Art Recovery International.

Christopher Marinello, the founder of Art Recovery International, explained the organization’s mission of researching and restituting artworks looted by Nazis and discovered in various collections. This particular case highlighted instances where allied soldiers had taken objects as souvenirs or war trophies. Marinello emphasized that being on the winning side did not justify such actions.

The identity of the Chicago resident who possessed the painting remained undisclosed, but it was reported that they initially requested payment for the artwork. Marinello clarified that their policy prohibited payment for stolen art, deeming the request inappropriate. Furthermore, there had been an attempt to sell the painting in the Chicago art market in 2011, but the seller disappeared when the museum claimed ownership.

With the collaborative efforts of the FBI Art Crime Team, legal experts, and the museum, Marinello successfully negotiated the unconditional surrender of the artwork. The painting, titled “Landscape of Italian Character,” will be reunited with its counterpart, which shares similar themes and imagery, forming a panoramic scene featuring shepherds, travelers, and various animals at a river ford. These two paintings, separated since World War II, will be displayed together at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, as confirmed by Bernd Ebert, the museum’s chief curator of Dutch and German baroque paintings.

The artist, Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer, who was born in Vienna and lived from 1700 to 1733, left behind a remarkable legacy. During the outbreak of World War II in 1939, many Bavarian museum collections were moved to safer locations, but the Lauterer painting went missing early in the war, raising suspicions of looting.

The Bavarian State Painting Collections had initiated a search for the painting between 1965 and 1973, but no leads emerged until many decades later. Bernd Ebert, who personally traveled from Munich to Chicago to retrieve the painting, will take great care in packaging the centuries-old artwork for its journey back home, where it will undergo restoration after its eventful journey. Fortunately, Ebert noted that the painting should fit neatly into his suitcase.

This return of a long-lost artwork represents a rare and exciting moment for the museum, marking the culmination of extensive efforts to recover this valuable piece of cultural heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Art Repatriation

More about Art Repatriation

• FBI Art Crime Team
• Art Recovery International
• Bavarian State Painting Collections
• Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer
• Alte Pinakothek, Munich