The Norton Simon Museum will not be deprived of a diptych by Lucas Cranach the Elder
ARTinvestment.RU   01 августа 2018

We are talking about the famous diptych "Adam and eve", who for many years tried to sue for the restitution of Mara von Sacher. But a recent court decision was not in her favor

Not the fact that this Mara von Sacher, the daughter of a Dutch collector of Jewish blood Jacques Gaudstikkera, calm down. More precisely, even to say she certainly will not accept the decision in favor of the Museum and submit another appeal. At least three previous times she did. This case walking between the ordinary and appeals U.S. court for the past 11 years. And every time the courts decide in favor of the Norton Simon Museum (Pasadena, CA).

Why such a usually loyal to the Jewish heirs, the American court in this case did not agree to restitution? The fact is that the Cranach diptych once returned to the rightful owner — but not Jacques Gaudstikkera or his family, and the heir to the Russian aristocrats Stroganoff-Щербатовых, which during the revolution "Adam and eve" were confiscated by the Bolsheviks.

the Bolsheviks sold the Cranach diptych in 1931 in Berlin, when the Soviet government needed the money for industrialization. And then it was bought by Jacques Gaudstikkera. In 1940-м he had to flee from the Netherlands to abandon his huge collection directly into the hands of Hermann Goering. To America Jacques Gaudstikkera never swam: he was killed in an accident on the ship. At the end of the war the allies gave the Dutch government the right to decide what to return from the Nazis confiscated works of art. And as the widow of Jacques Gaudstikkera not stated their rights to the Cranach diptych, the Dutch government sold it to the American George Stroganov-Щербатову, considering it the legitimate successor of the aristocratic ancestors. Stroganov-Щербатов, in turn, resold the diptych in 1971, the California collector Norton Simon. And these last two resale the U.S. Supreme court repeatedly recognizes the legitimate. And while this happens, visitors to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena for-прежнему can enjoy the masterpiece of Lucas Cranach the Elder.

the Material was prepared by Maria Onuchina, AI

Sources: artnet.com, artinvestment.ru

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the Heiress of a Jewish dealer wants to take away from a Museum painting by Cranach;
the California Museum will not escape from restorative action regarding the Cranach diptych;
the Court left "Adam and eve" by Cranach the Museum.