Austrian Museum to return expensive Klimt painting
A painting by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt could be returned to the grandson of its original owner, a victim of the Nazis. The Museum of Modern Arts in Salzburg is planning to return the priceless artwork to the only heir of its previous owner, almost 70 years after the canvas was stolen by the Nazis.
"Litzlberg am Attersee", the painting in question, is valued somewhere between 20 and 30 million euro. Famous Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, a leading representative of symbolism, painted the landscape in 1915. It's one of the key works in the Museum of Modern Arts' collection, but they've decided to part with it in order to return it to its rightful owner.
The Klimt painting used to belong to Amalie Redlich. She had bought the oil landscape in 1938, but it was confiscated by the Gestapo in 1941, when the Nazi authorities deported her to Poland. She was killed there.
In 1944, the painting was purchased by an art dealer, who gave it to a museum in exchange for another piece. It changed hands several times until it finally became part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Arts in Salzburg.
Georges Jorisch is the grandson and only heir of Amalie Redlich. The 83-year old currently lives in Montreal. Experts have identified him as the rightful owner of the Klimt painting that used to belong to his grandmother.
Although the loss will be missed, the Museum of Modern Arts is now waiting for approval from the Salzburg government to return the painting to Jorisch. The Salzburg government has been returning other stolen works of art belonging to Jewish victims of the Nazi, following a 2002 agreement.
Wilfried Haslauer, deputy governor of Salzburg, said that although the return of the painting would affect the Museum of Modern Arts' collection, the government should follow the 2002 agreement. According to Haslauer, all the conditions for the return of the artwork have been fulfilled. He recommends the painting to be returned to Georges Jorisch.
Following a 1998 restitution law, around 10,000 works of art stolen by the Nazis in Austria were returned to their rightful owners or to their descendants. According to a declaration made by Jorisch's lawyer on an Austrian radio station, the 83- year old plans to finance an extension to the museum as a sign of appreciation for returning the priceless work of art.
