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The Long-Awaited Return of a Monet: A Family’s Journey Through History
In 1940, amidst the turmoil of World War II, the Nazis confiscated an important pastel by Claude Monet, along with several other artworks from Adalbert “Bela” and Hilda Parlagi, a Jewish couple compelled to leave their home in Vienna following Austria’s annexation by Nazi Germany.
Following the war, Bela Parlagi dedicated himself to locating the lost pieces of art; however, his efforts were fruitless before his passing in 1981. His son continued this quest, but he too passed away in 2012 without finding any leads.
Now, more than eighty years later, the legacy of the missing Monet has resurfaced. On Wednesday, the grandchildren of Bela Parlagi, Helen Lowe and Francoise Parlagi, were finally reunited with the treasured piece after the FBI, in collaboration with a nonprofit organization based in the UK, successfully located it within the United States.
Anne Webber, co-chair of the Commission for Looted Art in Europe, expressed the emotional significance of the recovery, stating, “It’s an act of justice to have it returned. It has huge sentimental feeling for the family.” This organization began aiding the Parlagi family in their search in 2014.
The Monet piece, titled “Bord de Mer,” measures 7 by 11 inches (18 by 28 centimeters) and was created in 1865, depicting a serene scene of France’s Normandy coast. In 1938, the Parlagi family entrusted their artwork to a shipping company for safekeeping, only to have it seized by the Nazis in 1940 and subsequently auctioned off in 1941.
The FBI became involved in the investigation in 2021, after the Commission uncovered that a New Orleans-based art dealer had obtained the painting in 2017 and later sold it to private collectors in 2019. Ultimately, the painting was recovered in 2023 when it was listed for sale at a gallery in Houston.
The owners at that time, Bridget Vita and her late husband Kevin Schlamp, were reportedly unaware of the painting’s stolen status. They voluntarily returned it once they learned of its provenance.
“While this Monet is undoubtedly valuable, its true worth lies in what it represents to the Parlagi family,” noted James Dennehy, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York City office, highlighting the deeper significance of the artwork beyond its monetary value.
The Parlagi family’s journey doesn’t end here; earlier in March, they successfully retrieved another piece of art—a chalk drawing of German composer Richard Wagner by Franz von Lenbach—returned by the Austrian government, following its discovery at the Albertina Museum in Vienna.
Webber has advised prospective art buyers to conduct thorough provenance checks to ensure the legitimacy of their acquisitions. She also estimates that approximately 90% of the art and belongings stolen by the Nazis still remain missing. The Parlagi family continues to seek six additional artworks, including a signed watercolor by Paul Signac titled “Seine in Paris,” as the investigation by the FBI continues.
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