Recovery of Nazi-Looted Ghislandi Portrait in Argentina: Real Estate Listing Leads to Historic Art Restitution

An 18th-century portrait that vanished during World War II has finally resurfaced in Argentina, more than 80 years after it was seized by the Nazis. The discovery of Giuseppe Ghislandi’s Portrait of Contessa Colleoni did not happen through a museum inventory or scholarly catalog but in the most unexpected way: a real estate listing in the coastal city of Mar del Plata. What began as a property advertisement quickly turned into one of the most significant art restitution stories of the year.

The painting was once part of the vast collection of Jacques Goudstikker, a renowned Dutch-Jewish art dealer whose holdings were systematically plundered after the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in 1940. Like many families targeted during the war, Goudstikker’s heirs lost not only their livelihood but also the cultural treasures that anchored their history. This portrait was among hundreds of works forcibly taken and scattered across Europe and beyond, often entering private collections under layers of false provenance.

Sharp-eyed journalists and investigators noticed the portrait photographed above a fireplace in a home for sale. The resemblance to Ghislandi’s lost work was undeniable. Further research confirmed its origins, linking the canvas directly to the Goudstikker archive of looted art. Digital tools, old catalogs, and online databases played a central role in piecing together the painting’s path from wartime theft to its quiet existence in Argentina.

Once the discovery was made public, Argentine authorities acted quickly. Police raided the Mar del Plata property, placing the painting’s holder under house arrest while experts secured the artwork. Investigators believe the piece had passed through the hands of Friedrich Kadgien, a German officer connected to Nazi operations, before arriving in South America. For decades it remained hidden in private spaces until chance and technology brought it back into view.

The restitution process is now underway. The portrait is expected to return to the Goudstikker family, who have spent years pursuing claims on looted works across the globe. Art historians and legal specialists emphasize that these recoveries are not only about financial or cultural assets but also about restoring dignity to families stripped of their heritage. Museums and experts will also play a role in ensuring the work is preserved, documented, and properly contextualized for future generations.

This recovery underscores how modern technology is transforming the field of provenance research. Where investigators once relied on handwritten inventories and physical archives alone, they now employ AI databases, digitized catalogs, and image recognition tools to track lost masterpieces. Comparable cases in Europe and the United States show how a combination of human vigilance and digital resources continues to expose stolen works, leading to successful restitution efforts.