Painting Nazis stole from French Jew during WWII to be returned to owner's family, Paris court says

A Paris court has ruled that the Camille Pissarro painting "The Port of Dieppe" must be returned to the descendants of French banker and art collector Salomon Flavian, according to French media outlet Le Figaro. The artwork, which was stolen by Nazi forces during World War II, was reportedly confiscated from Flavian's ancestor in 1941.

The court found that the family had provided enough evidence to prove the theft and that the artist's efforts to recover the painting after the war ended. All sales of the painting since it was taken are deemed void, including a sale that occurred in London on June 25, 2024, when it reportedly sold for £1.2 million. The court ordered Sotheby's to reveal the identity of the buyer to the Flavian family's heirs within two months, with a fine of 3,550 NIS per day for any delay.

The painting, which had not been on the market for years, was recently sold at a Sotheby's auction in London in 2024. The court emphasized that the absence of a formal restitution framework in France put both the state and claimants at a disadvantage. However, James Palmer, a consultant for Mondex Corporation, plans to file an appeal, arguing that the case should be reconsidered, citing the importance of provenance research evidence.