The Tate Britain has agreed to return a painting seized from a Jewish family during World War II. The artwork, "Aeneas and his Family Fleeing Burning Troy" by Henry Gibbs, was taken from Samuel Hartveld's home in Antwerp after he fled with his wife in May 1940. The Spoliation Advisory Panel ruled that the painting was looted as an act of racial persecution.
The panel's decision acknowledges the Nazi regime's systematic persecution of Jewish families during World War II, including Hartveld's family who were forced to leave behind their art collection. The Tate Britain acquired the painting in 1994 and it had been on display for over three decades before the ruling.
The heirs of Samuel Hartveld have expressed gratitude for the decision and are expected to receive the painting in the coming months. This case highlights the ongoing efforts to address the legacy of looted art, particularly in the context of World War II.