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4w ago

Argentina Recovers Nazi-Looted ‘Portrait of a Lady’ After Real-Estate Listing Tip

A real-estate listing spotted by Dutch reporters triggered raids culminating in the painting’s recovery.

Visual arts teacher Ariel Bassano (L) stands next to a painting identified by Dutch newspaper AD as believed to be "Portrait of a Lady" by Italian baroque portraitist Giuseppe Ghislandi, stolen by the Nazis from a Dutch Jewish art collector, as it is displayed at the Public Prosecutor's Office in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on Sept. 3, 2025.(Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)
Image
Federal Attorney General Daniel Adler, Assistant Prosecutor Carlos Martinez and curator Ariel Bassano announce the recovery of a painting by Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, allegedly stolen by the Nazis during World War II.
Curator Ariel Bassano addresses the media next to a portrait of Contessa Colleoni by Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, an iconic painting stolen decades ago by the Nazis, following its recovery by Argentine officials after it was spotted in a real estate photo, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, September 3, 2025. REUTERS/Jose Scalzo/File Photo

Overview

  • Prosecutors said the 18th-century Giuseppe Ghislandi portrait, missing for about 80 years from the Goudstikker collection, was handed over by the suspects’ lawyer and is now in secure storage.
  • Patricia Kadgien and her husband, Juan Carlos Cortegoso, were charged with concealment and obstruction after the work vanished during initial searches, with travel restrictions imposed following a court hearing.
  • Authorities are analyzing additional paintings, drawings, and engravings seized in raids on family properties to determine any links to Nazi-era looting.
  • Prosecutors proposed placing the recovered work at the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum pending legal decisions on custody and restitution.
  • Heirs of Dutch art dealer Jacques Goudstikker have initiated restitution steps, including contacting the FBI, as provenance links trace the artwork through Nazi official Friedrich Kadgien.