Austrian diplomat returns Nazi-stolen 1847 watercolor to heir in Minnesota
Austria handed a tiny 1847 watercolor miniature, looted from Jewish collector Eduard Epstein in 1940, to his descendant Jackie Sondell in Minnesota.
A small 1847 watercolor miniature painted by Albert Theer, showing an Austrian noble officer, was confiscated from the Vienna residence of Jewish merchant Eduard Epstein when the Nazis took control of Austria in 1940. The piece lay unnoticed in the Museum of Military History until 2013, when it was referred to an Austrian art restitution board. After tracing the heirs, Austrian deputy consul general Johannes Gassner identified Jackie Sondell, a Wayzata, Minnesota retiree, and her brother Jeff Lieb as descendants of Epstein.
In a ceremony, the Austrian government returned the painting to Sondell, who said it represents hope and remembrance of her grandparents who perished in the Holocaust. The restitution is part of Austria’s broader program to return Nazi-confiscated art, though most of Epstein’s collection remains unaccounted for.
Why it matters
It highlights ongoing attempts to rectify Nazi-era art theft and return cultural property to victims' families.
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