Authorities in Argentina are continuing their search for a valuable Nazi-looted art stolen during World War II, after it briefly appeared in a real estate listing before vanishing from a coastal home in Mar del Plata. The artwork, Portrait of a Lady by 18th-century Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, was reportedly seen in a photo published by a local estate agency but was not located during a recent police operation at the property.
Federal prosecutor Carlos Martínez confirmed that investigators found no trace of the painting during the raid. However, other items, including two firearms and several prints and engravings, were seized from the home. Officials say these items could support the ongoing investigation into the possible concealment of stolen art.
Nazi-looted art vanishes before authorities arrive
Investigators were acting on a tip stemming from a Dutch newspaper’s findings that linked the painting to a collection looted by the Nazis during their occupation of the Netherlands. The work had been owned by Jacques Goudstikker, a Jewish art dealer who died while fleeing the Nazis in 1940. His extensive collection was forcibly sold to Nazi leader Hermann Göring under duress.
The painting’s trail grew warmer after the Dutch newspaper AD reported it had surfaced in Argentina. A journalist with the paper discovered a real estate photo showing the painting hanging in the living room of a home listed for sale in Mar del Plata. However, by the time law enforcement entered the house, the portrait had disappeared. A tapestry depicting horses had replaced the artwork, and markings on the wall indicated that something had recently been removed.
Ties to Nazi official deepen mystery
Documents uncovered by AD also reveal the painting may have been taken out of Europe by Friedrich Kadgien, a former SS officer and aide to Göring. He reportedly fled the Netherlands in 1946, eventually settling in Argentina after traveling through Switzerland and Brazil. Kadgien died in Buenos Aires in 1978. Authorities now suspect the artwork remained in his family’s possession after his death.
ART
Looted painting discovered in Argentina
More than 80 years after it was looted by the Nazis from a Jewish art dealer in Amsterdam, a portrait by an Italian master has been spotted on the website of an estate agent advertising a house for sale in Argentina.
It is accepted… pic.twitter.com/VHF2QdjvQ6
— Grouse Beater (@Grouse_Beater) August 26, 2025
One of Kadgien’s daughters, who owns the Mar del Plata property, is currently under investigation along with her partner. Federal police, Interpol, and Argentina’s customs agency are all involved in the case. Both individuals have reportedly declined to answer questions about the artwork or its history.
Following the media report, the estate agency Robles Casas & Campos removed the property listing and confirmed the house was no longer for sale. The daughter also changed her social media identity shortly afterward, according to AD.
Though no formal charges have been brought, prosecutors indicated that if the missing painting is found in the couple’s possession, they could face charges for hiding stolen property. Because the alleged crime dates back to wartime, legal experts say there is no statute of limitations in this case.
