Home / Arts and Entertainment / Heirs Demand Sotheby's Halt Sale of Nazi-Era Van Gogh
Heirs Demand Sotheby's Halt Sale of Nazi-Era Van Gogh
14 Nov
Summary
- Van Gogh painting "Blossoming Chestnut Trees" faces sale for $180 million.
- Heirs claim the 1890 artwork was sold under Nazi duress in 1936.
- Sotheby's is urged to prove the sale was at market value without Nazi influence.
Heirs of a prominent Jewish art collector have requested Sotheby's withdraw Vincent van Gogh's "Blossoming Chestnut Trees" from an upcoming auction. The 1890 painting, estimated at $180 million, is slated to be a highlight of the fall auctions. The heirs assert that the artwork was sold in Amsterdam in 1936 due to their family's financial losses under Nazi persecution.
Their legal representative urged Sotheby's to demonstrate that the 1936 sale occurred at market value and independently of Nazi rule. He invoked the Washington Principles, an international guideline for addressing confiscated Nazi-era art, and stated that his clients are prepared to seek a fair resolution.
The painting, described as legendary and previously kept from public view, is part of the Blaquier-Arrieta collection, assembled starting in the 1960s. Sotheby's has expressed its commitment to working towards a satisfactory resolution.
