Seated Man with a Cane
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| Artist | Amedeo Modigliani |
|---|---|
| Year | 1918 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 126 cm × 75 cm (50 in × 30 in) |
Seated Man with a Cane is a 1918 oil on canvas painting by the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. The painting is currently the subject of a complex ownership dispute. The painting was purchased by the International Art Center (IAC) at a 1996 Christie's auction in London for £2 million.[1] In 2008, the painting was put up for auction by Sotheby's in New York, but no bids were made for the painting.[1]
Philippe Maestracci claims ownership of the painting through inheritance through his grandfather.[2] According to Maestracci, the painting was taken from his grandfather, Jewish Parisian art dealer Oscar Stettiner, by the Nazis during the German occupation of France.[2] In 1939, Oscar Stettiner left the painting behind in France ahead of the German occupation.[3] The Nazis took administration over the painting in 1941 and auctioned off the painting in 1944.[3] In 1946, Oscar Stettiner filed a claim to recover the painting, but the French authorities were ultimately unable to track down the painting.[3]
In 2011, Maestracci pressed charges against Helly Nahmad and David Nahmad in the US federal court in New York to recover ownership rights to the painting.[1] The Nahmads denied that they were the owners of the painting, claiming that they were merely exhibiting the painting on the behalf of the IAC, a Panamanian corporation listed as the titular owner of the paintings.[1] Since then, Maestracci has filed multiple lawsuits in an attempt to recover the painting.[1] According to the Panama Papers released in 2016, "David Nahmad, the family leader, has been the company’s sole owner since January 2014”.[2] In April, 2016, Swiss authorities seized the painting from the Geneva Freeport as part of an ongoing investigation.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Ruiz, Christina (8 April 2016). "Panama Papers expose art world's offshore secrets". The Art Newspaper. The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Sher, Julian (11 April 2016). "Modigliani masterpiece seized in wake of Panama Papers". CBC News. CBC News. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 Maloney, Jennifer (Oct 27, 2014). "After Finding Lost Painting, a Roadblock". Wall Street Journal. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
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