National Gallery of Victoria quietly returned a 17th-century painting, “Lady with a Fan” by Gerard ter Borch, to the descendants of a Jewish family who lost it during the Nazi era — without any public announcement or explanation.
The return was only noticed after the painting disappeared from the museum’s website and was later listed in Germany’s Lost Art Database. Jason Schulman, a researcher who uncovered the story, criticized the museum’s lack of transparency.
The painting had long been at the center of a dispute between two branches of one family — descendants of Max Emden and Henry Bromberg. The Emdens initially claimed ownership but withdrew after evidence showed the work originally belonged to the Brombergs and was hidden to avoid Nazi restrictions.
The Brombergs have successfully reclaimed other artworks in recent years, including pieces attributed to Joos van Cleve and Lucas Cranach. Unlike those cases, which were publicized, this restitution was handled privately.
The Bromberg family issued a brief statement expressing satisfaction with the museum’s review and return of the painting. The museum itself has offered no details, leaving questions about why such a significant case was kept quiet.