After a long legal battle, a federal court in California has ruled that a Spanish museum can keep an Impressionist painting, rejecting a claim by relatives of a German Jew who was forced to sell the painting before fleeing the Nazis. The ruling, announced on Tuesday, is the latest in the longstanding ownership dispute over “Rue Saint-Honoré, Après-midi, Effet de Pluie,” an 1897 painting by Camille Pissarro. The federal court held that ownership was governed by Spanish law, which allows buyers to retain works they purchased if they did not possess “actual knowledge” the works had been stolen, a position held by both the Madrid museum possessing the painting, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the prior owner. But United States District Court Judge John Walter was critical of Spain, which owns the museum, noting that its position was “inconsistent” with an international agreement it had signed, the Washington Principles, that encourages governments to find “just and fair” solutions in cases where looted art is identified.

Source: International New York Times May 01, 2019 21:00 UTC