Day 196. Finally Returned

Saw another great movie this weekend.  It’s a documentary about an oil painting, done in 1912, by the Austrian artist, Egon Schiele.  It is a portrait of his mistress, Valerie “Wally” Neuzil.

The painting was owned by Lea Bondi Jaray.  Although she owned an art gallery this, particular, painting was part of her private collection; and hung in her home.  Which, of course, didn’t stop the Nazi’s.  Not only did they close down her gallery, she was also forced to give up her own art, as well.  She and her husband escaped to the U.S. and she never saw the portrait again.

In 1954, it was purchased by an obsessive collector, Rudolf Leopold, and became part of the collection at the