Comment | Time is running out for justice on Nazi-looted art—but it is not yet too late for museums to act

Time is Running Out for Justice on Nazi-Looted Art

Gideon Taylor, president of the World Jewish Restitution Organization, calls for the U.S. Congress to adopt a renewed HEAR Act and urges museums to act with transparency regarding the provenance of artworks in their collections.

The Case of Picasso’s “The Actor”

In 2016, Laurel Zuckerman filed a lawsuit to reclaim a Picasso painting displayed at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming it rightfully belonged to her family. The courts, however, dismissed her claim.

A Story of Forced Sale

Originally owned by Paul and Alice Leffmann, a Jewish couple from Germany, the painting’s history reflects the grim choices faced by many during the Nazi era. In 1938, while fleeing Germany to escape persecution, the Leffmanns entrusted the artwork to a non-Jewish acquaintance. To fund their escape to Brazil, they were forced to sell the painting under pressure.

The Painting’s Journey

The artwork, The Actor (1904), found its way into the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, where it has remained since 1952. The Leffmanns’ story exemplifies the wider issue of restitution for art lost or sold under duress during one of history’s darkest periods.

“It is time for Congress to pass the new HEAR Act and for museums to deliver provenance transparency.” — Gideon Taylor
Author’s Summary

Congress and museums still have a chance to restore justice by ensuring transparency and returning artworks lost to Nazi persecution before time runs out.

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The Art Newspaper The Art Newspaper — 2025-11-05

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