Germany: Pissarro painting from Gurlitt trove found to be looted, will be returned to heirs

BERLIN – Germany says experts have determined that a Camille Pissarro painting from the art trove hoarded by the late collector Cornelius Gurlitt was looted by the Nazis and will be returned to its rightful owner’s descendants.

A task force has already found that works by Max Liebermann, Henri Matisse and Carl Spitzweg were looted. Restitution agreements for the first two were signed last month.

The Culture Ministry said Wednesday that experts have established without doubt that Pissarro’s “The Seine seen from the Pont-Neuf, the Louvre in the background” was also looted. It is in touch with the owner’s heir, whom it didn’t identify, with a view to restitution “as quickly as possible.”

A Swiss museum that accepted Gurlitt’s collection has promised to ensure any Nazi-looted pieces are returned to Jewish owners’ heirs.