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From the Liveblog of Monday, May 9, 2016

Degas stolen by Nazis returned to Jewish owners

9 May 2016, 7:17 pm

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France has restored to its rightful owners a drawing by Edgar Degas that was stolen by the Nazis from its Jewish owner in 1940.

In a moving ceremony in Paris Monday, Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay says that “Trois danseuses en buste” — a late 19th-century charcoal sketch of three ballerinas — was found in 1951 in a cupboard in the Occupation-era German Embassy. It had since remained unclaimed in the Louvre.

A picture taken on May 9, 2016 at the Culture ministry in Paris shows "Danseuses en buste," a charcoal by late French artist Edgar Degas confiscated by the Nazis in 1940 during its restitution ceremony to heirs of late French collector Maurice Dreyfus. (AFP/LIONEL BONAVENTURE) — A picture taken on May 9, 2016 at the Culture ministry in Paris shows “Danseuses en buste,” a charcoal by late French artist Edgar Degas confiscated by the Nazis in 1940 during its restitution ceremony to heirs of late French collector Maurice Dreyfus. (AFP/LIONEL BONAVENTURE)

Viviane Dreyfus accepts the drawing for her father Maurice, who died in 1957 without ever speaking of the lost work.

She says she is “extremely touched,” especially because she didn’t know the work existed.

There are 2000 unclaimed works sitting in French museums, of which at least 145 were stolen by the Nazis.

— AP

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