The family of a Holocaust victim who sold a valuable Matisse painting to fund their escape from Nazi persecution will finally have the artwork returned to them after 83 years. The painting, originally owned by Jewish art dealer and collector Paul Rosenberg, was confiscated by the Nazis during World War II.
Rosenberg’s granddaughter, Anne Sinclair, who is a prominent French journalist and the former wife of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has been fighting for the return of the painting for years. After a long legal battle, a court in Paris recently ruled that the artwork must be returned to the family.
The painting, titled “La Liseuse en Blanc et Jaune” (The Reader in White and Yellow), was sold by Rosenberg in 1938 to fund his family’s escape from France. He and his family eventually made it to the United States, but the painting remained lost for decades.
The return of the painting represents a significant victory for the family, as well as a form of symbolic justice. It is a reminder of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and the importance of preserving the memory of those who were persecuted.
Sinclair has expressed her gratitude for the court’s decision and hopes that the painting will serve as a tribute to her grandfather’s legacy. She plans to display the artwork in a museum in Paris as a way to honor his memory and the countless others who suffered during the Holocaust.
Overall, the return of the Matisse painting to the Rosenberg family is a powerful and poignant gesture that highlights the ongoing efforts to seek justice for those affected by the Holocaust.
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