An 18th-century portrait stolen by the Nazis has been recovered in Argentina after being spotted online by Dutch journalists. The painting, titled 'Portrait of a Lady' by Giuseppe Ghislandi, was found hanging in a villa in Mar del Plata owned by Patricia Kadgien, the daughter of a former Nazi official.
The discovery was made when Kadgien and her husband put their house up for sale. A photographer from a local estate agent captured images of the interior, including the distinctive oil painting. Dutch news outlet AD, which had been investigating looted artworks, recognised the piece and alerted authorities.
Argentine prosecutors charged Kadgien and her husband with aggravated concealment, arguing that the theft was linked to genocide. A judge imposed a travel ban and restricted their movements. The couple allegedly tried to obstruct the investigation by removing the online listing and replacing the portrait with a tapestry.
The painting belonged to Jacques Goudstikker, a Jewish-Dutch art dealer who fled the Nazis in 1940 and died in a ship accident. His collection of over 1,100 artworks was looted by the Nazis. The recovery marks a rare success in the long search for stolen art.
