Even sixty years after WWII, the art world is still recovering from the systematic theft of artwork under the Third Reich. In case you thought these events were simply distant history, you might be interested to know that German authorities just uncovered a massive cache of 1,500 paintings lost to the Nazis. Found during a tax investigation of an art dealer’s son, this treasure trove of artwork is estimated to be worth – wait for it– over $1.4 billion. During their regime the Nazis waged war on modern art, with many irreplaceable works ending up confiscated or destroyed outright. One such painting, Gustav Klimt’s Gold Portrait, became the most expensive painting ever sold upon its recovery – its remarkable story frames The Rape of Europa, a documentary about the theft and eventual reclamation of Western masterpieces. The story it tells has had a lasting impact on our collective imagination, and has most recently served as the inspiration for the George Clooney directed thriller The Monuments Men. And if this week’s discovery has taught us anything, it’s that the amount of “vanished art” yet to be discovered must be staggering. Learn more about the recently found masterpieces. The Rape of europa official trailerComments are closed.
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