Heirs welcome return of Nazi-looted 17th century masterpiece

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Descendants of a Jewish Parisian art collector are welcoming the return to their family of a rediscovered masterpiece – a 17th century painting looted by the Nazis during World War II.

Michel Vernay, 71, and his brother Laurent, 65, traveled from Paris to New York for a ceremony Monday at the French consulate to receive a 1639 painting by Dutch master Salomon Koninck titled "A scholar sharpening his quill."

The brothers are the great-grandsons of famed art collector Adolphe Schloss (1842-1910), and were accompanied at the event by Eliane Demartini, another rightful heir of the looted art.

The painting was stolen by the Nazis in 1943, during their occupation of France, and sent to Adolf Hitler's headquarters in Munich.

The painting vanished at the war's end, and resurfaced only in November 2017 when a Chilean art dealer tried to sell it via Christie's auction house in New York. Christie's identified the piece and contacted the FBI to begin the process of restitution.

Spotlight on looting, genocide

Given the re-emergence of anti-Semitism in the United States and Europe, a restitution "puts the spotlight on all the looting and Jewish disappearances," said Michel Vernay, a retired engineer.

"It's like a monument in tribute to what happened in the past," he said.

Michel Vernay speaks after the 1639 painting by Salomon Koninck titled "A Scholar Sharpening His Quill" looted by the Nazis from the Schloss family during World War II was unveiled at the French Consulate in New York City, April 1, 2019. /VCG Photo

Theft and looting is an integral part of the process of genocide, said Vernay, whose mother lost half her family at the Auschwitz death camp.

"People are deprived of their ability to exist in society, to exercise their profession," he said. "Then they are deprived of their nationality, their resources and their property, and when they are alone, without resources, homeless and defenseless, it's easy to end their lives."

Laurent Vernay described every restitution as a small victory. "But one painting is not as important as any single life that was taken," he said.

The brothers are convinced that the return of antisemitism is not a passing phenomenon.

"It's up and down but it's always there," Laurent said.

What plans are in store for the painting?

"I have no sentimental feeling about it," said Michel, who was seeing the painting for the first time. "I was born after the war, after it had vanished."

The artwork is an inheritance that is shared with more than 20 people, he said.

"As a painting cannot be split, I hope there will be a French museum able to purchase it and mark it as artwork recovered after being stolen."

(Top image: The 1639 painting by Salomon Koninck titled "A Scholar Sharpening His Quill" looted by the Nazis from the Schloss family during World War II, is unveiled at the French Consulate in New York City, April 1, 2019. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP