Figuring prominently in the Arts news this week was an announcement that five Gustav Klimt paintings, recently repatriated to the Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer heirs, will go on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art next month. In an effort to present this extremely complicated case in 1,000 words or less, I've read so many legal briefs, witness statements and court findings in the past few days that my poor head is swimming (read:
artist, not, Lord have mercy, lawyer). While treading mental water, and after only partially digesting the endless, ceaseless legalese, there are but five things of which I am convinced:
- The Nazis were History's Biggest _____(Insert your favorite expletive deleted here. Come now - worst word you know, and you've heard some doozies. Just let it fly! We can't hear you, Dear, and would likely concur in the event that we could.)
- Maria Altmann is a woman of immense courage.
- The Klimts in question are now with their rightful owners.
- The Klimts in question will never be "home" until they are back in
Austria.
- Private efforts to purchase the Klimts and return them to Austria are to be encouraged, supported and contributed to whenever possible.
In the spirit of the "picture = thousand words" equation, I've also assembled a
gallery of the seven Klimts once in the Bloch-Bauer collection. Heartfelt thanks to Sigrid Sprung in the Public Relations office at the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere for her help with the Klimt images. At the time they were requested, it was undoubtedly both chaotic and glum at the office.
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