Cousin of late collector Gurlitt appeals rejection of her challenge to Swiss museum bequest

BERLIN – A cousin of German collector Cornelius Gurlitt has appealed a court’s rejection of her challenge to his will, which bequeathed his vast art trove to a Swiss museum.

The Munich court handling Gurlitt’s inheritance said Tuesday that a judge will consider whether to revise last month’s decision in light of Uta Werner’s appeal or to refer the case to a higher court. It says restitution efforts are unaffected by the proceedings.

Gurlitt died in May, months after German authorities said they had seized more than 1,000 works at his apartment. His will, which is being challenged by Werner, designated Switzerland’s Kunstmuseum Bern as heir.

Gurlitt reached a deal with the German government, binding on any heirs, to check whether some works were looted from Jewish owners by the Nazis.