 |
| Village Girl with Goat-Lost Art Piece |
Authorities found long lost art by famous masters
such as Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse and Otto Dix in a
Munich apartment. It is believed that such works were stolen during the Nazi Era
and disappeared into the ashes of history. The total value of the 1,400 pieces
seized could easily be over a billion dollars sparking interest from a variety
of groups and parties.
Most of the works are well preserved and part of
the list called “degenerative art” that the regime felt were not in alignment
with local culture. Such art was often either removed or destroyed in an
attempt to provide what was seen at the time as a purer culture. Some artists
were fined or jailed for breaking cease and desist orders on their painting
activities.
When art was seized sometimes it was sold overseas for
hundreds of millions of dollars. The regime would hire someone to
help sell the art and remove it from the country. It is believed that the
holder’s father was hired to do just that. He was discovered with a large stash
of cash and a search warrant discovered the source.
As no major lists have been released it makes a number
of major art enthusiasts wonder precisely what the paintings are and who the
original owners were. Many great masterpieces offered to the world at one time
may change the nature of the art market in a profound way through the discovery
of lost work and techniques. Despite the recent hidden find it is possible others
are out there just under someone’s kitchen floor, root cellar or in a secret
basement doorway.
More Reading:
