Owner: Esther van Cleef — Paris, France
Collection: (CLE) van Cleef-The world-famous jeweler was based at Place Vendôme in Paris, one of the wealthiest Parisian enclaves, targeted by Nazis and local French collaborators for the immense wealth and high-end art that could be found there in private residences and in privately-owned galleries and luxury stores.
Inventory No.: CLE 3
Gr. IIa
Kiste Nr. CLE 11
Artist: 1902, Picabia, Francis (geb. 1879 Paris)
Medium: Paintings
Title: Landschaft.
Description: Im Vordergrund Baumgruppe. Schilfbestandener Flusslauf. Im Hintergrund Ortschaft. Blauer Himmel.
AGL/Bo/To/La.
Wa.
Öl auf Lwd. 54,5 x 65
Gerahmt Fassung: gerahmt
Bezeichnet Signatur: Picabia 1902
Zugangstag, in Paris: 26.5.43
Literature:
Provenance and Comments: Slated for exchange--placed on the train to Nikolsburg on 1 August 1944, but the train never left Paris. Despite the fact that the Picabia is not on any release form in the van Cleef file (RA 30 and RA 626), the fact that it was on the 1 August 1944 train which was intercepted by French resistance troops at Aulnay-sous-bois indicates a strong likelihood that the Picabia was returned to its owner. Further research, however, is necessary to confirm that it has been restituted. On a list of works of art marked as not restituted as of 9 December 1952.
Archival Sources: RG 260 M1943 Reel 2 NARA; Bundesarchiv, B323/267, B323/302; RA 30, RV 103, RV 217, MAEE, Paris
Measurements: 54,5 x 65
Framed? Yes
Signed? Yes
Transfer place: Jeu de Paume
Transfer date: 1943-05-26
Transfer place: Seissenegg
Transfer date: 1943-11-18
Transfer place: Nikolsburg
Transfer date: 1944-08-01
Restituted? Yes
Images: