Matisse Painting Stolen During WW2 Returned to its Rightful Owners

A long-overdue act of justice has been fulfilled as the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam is set to return a prized painting to the rightful heirs of a Jewish collector whose family was decimated during the Holocaust. The painting, "Odalisque," created in the early 1920s during Henri Matisse’s groundbreaking modernist period, had been exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum since its unlawful acquisition in 1941. Following a binding recommendation by the Netherlands' Restitutions Committee, Amsterdam officials acknowledged the error and ordered its restitution.

Amsterdam City Council Member Touria Meliani emphasized the moral imperative of this act, stating, "To the extent that anything can be repaired from the great injustice done to them, we as a society have a moral obligation to act accordingly. The return of works of art, such as the 'Odalisque' painting, can mean a lot to the victims and is of great importance for the recognition of the injustice done to them. As a city, we have a role and responsibility in this."

The tale behind the painting is one of profound tragedy. Albert Stern and his family suffered years of systematic dehumanization and economic oppression under Hitler’s race laws starting in 1933. In this brutal climate, Stern sold his cherished "Odalisque" to fund an escape from Europe. However, after being denied visas to countries such as the US, Mexico, and Brazil, the Stern family was arrested and deported to concentration camps. Tragically, only Albert’s wife and two grandchildren survived.

For over 80 years, the Stedelijk Museum’s display of this artwork stood as a stark reminder of Hitler’s campaign to strip European Jewry of their personal property as a precursor to the Final Solution. The return of "Odalisque" is not only a rectification of historical wrongs but also a significant acknowledgment of the immense suffering endured by the Stern family and countless others. It underscores the importance of restoring stolen cultural heritage to their rightful owners, honoring their memory, and acknowledging the profound injustices they endured.