Getty to Return Dutch Painting Stolen by Nazis

The Getty Museum is the first museum in North America to agree to return a painting looted by the Nazis from a Dutch Jewish art collector. The Los Angeles institute will return Landscape With Cottage and Figures to the heirs of art dealer Jacques Goudstikker, whose collection was confiscated by the Nazis when he fled Holland during World War II. The 1640 painting by Pieter Molijn was purchased at an auction nearly 40 years ago in "good faith," said a Getty statement.

"It is always encouraging to see an important cultural institution like the Getty Museum decide to do the right thing for Holocaust victims" and their families, said heir Marei von Saher of Connecticut. She is seeking artworks in four other American and Canadian museums. Goudstiiker marked down all of his paintings in a black book. Only 1,000 of some 1,400 have been located, reports the Los Angeles Times. Goudstikker died in a fall on a ship that was carrying him to safety with his wife and baby boy. (More Nazis stories.)