Mondrian’s American heirs claim to paint

The painting, valued at about $100 million, according to the indictment, was purchased by collector AE Gallatin in 1939. He bought it from the Buchholz Gallery in New York, an art dealer who often sells artwork stolen by the Nazis. Gallatin offered the work, with Mondrian’s help and approval, in his exhibition space at New York University. In 1952, Galvin donated the canvas to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, along with much of the rest of his collection.

artist friend

Mondrian, who died in New York in 1944, did not object to Gallatin’s ownership of the painting. The Dutch artist named his friend and fellow artist Harry Holtzmann as his sole heir. Holtzmann also owns property Composition in blue not discussed. Holtzmann died in 1987. It is now reported that his daughter Madeleine is the one who claims the painting.

Mondrian completed the painting in 1926. Almost immediately after that it was included in the collection of the Hannover Museum. There the Nazis confiscated the painting in 1937, only to have it included that same year in their famous exhibition of decadent art (“Degenerate Art”).

Shortly thereafter Mondrian fled mainland Europe to Great Britain, and in 1939 he was Composition in blue The Nazis offered him for sale at the Galerie Buchholz in Berlin. Buchholz was one of four dealers preferred by German authorities to sell confiscated artwork.