Franz Xaver Winterhalter German Baroness Must Give Up Nazi-Looted Painting Face to Face to Face Stern Estate Managers Hopeful After Court Ruling German Baronness Must Return Painting to Late Jewish Dealer's Estate

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Stern was forced to liquidate his family’s Dusseldorf art gallery in 1937 by Nazi officials because he was Jewish. Bissonnette’s stepfather then bought the painting, Girl from the Sabine Mountains, at auction. The work is believed to be by Franz Xavier Winterhalter, a 19th-century painter of Queen Victoria and various other European nobles.

In 2005, Bissonnette attempted to sell the painting, prompting a prospective buyer to consult the Art Loss Register, which immediately alerted Stern’s estate. Stern successfully sued for its return, arguing that the Nazi-era auction was forced, and the sale was therefore invalid.

According to the Associated Press, Bissonnette says the claim goes beyond money and that her main incentive is to clear her family’s name through her latest appeal. Appraisers have estimated that the painting is worth between $67,000 and $94,000; Bissonnette's lawyer claims its worth is closer to $150,000.