Looted Klimts epilogue

From the Guardian:

A collection of paintings by Gustav Klimt, stolen by the Nazis in 1938, has been restored to its heir in California after an eight-year legal battle. The five works, together worth £170m, now belong to 90-year-old Maria Altmann, who fled the Nazis following the annexation of Austria.

Altmann has lent the paintings to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for a temporary exhibition.

During the late stages of the dispute, the Austrian government was granted some time to raise funds to buy them and keep them on display in Vienna. But . . .

There was political and cultural uproar when the Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schussel revealed last month that they had no plans to do so.

Double ignominy for Austria here.

Posted by David on March 21, 2006 1:08 PM