Portrait of Steven Wolters, by Caspar Netscher, 1683.
Many Jewishcollectors fled, leaving behind their treasures.
Others fell victim to the horrific genocide orchestrated by Hitler’s forces.
Portrait of Steven Wolters, by Caspar Netscher, 1683. (Photo:Sotheby’s)
Museums and other private collections were pillaged by occupiers.
After the war, many works seemed lost forever.
Many thousands of paintings, books, and other precious works were seized.
Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck sees the portrait for the first time since it was stolen. (Photo: Family of Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck)
After the war, their primary duty became the detection and return of stolen art.
Art historians have since kept up the quest to return these works.
One painting in particular has had a long journey.
Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck and the portrait. (Photo: Family of Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck)
In 1940, Nazis invaded the Netherlands.
The 1683 work depicted the merchantSteven Wolters.
It had once hung in the Smidt van Gelder dining room, but now it was gone.
The Lace Maker, Caspar Netscher, 1662. (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
However, thePortrait of Steven Woltersremained missing for decades.
Smidt van Gelder’s daughter, Bischoff van Heemskerck, kept looking for the special piece.
Meanwhile the London-basedCommission for Looted Art in Europe(CLAE) searched too.
It sold throughSotheby’sfor 44,100 (about $52,000 at the time).
The family also recently sold anotherreturned work, Jacob OchterveltsThe Oyster Meal, for $2.4 million.
Since 1999, the CLAE has helped return over 3,500 works looted by the Nazis to their rightful owners.
At the time, upwards of100,000 workswere estimated to still be lost somewhere.
Likely some are destroyed, others in museums, and still more in private collections.
Many are thought to belooted.
Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck sees the portrait for the first time since it was stolen.
(Photo: Family of Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck)
Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck and the portrait.
The Lace Maker, Caspar Netscher, 1662.
