As if a Jean Baptiste Camille Corot painting would have required any more reasons than coming from the renowned artist’s studio to be sold at a whopping price. But then a little exciting history has always been helpful. Ask the folks at Sotheby’s and they will confirm for the “Jeune femme a la fontaine” is expected to fetch a price of $1.8 million at an auction to be held on June 2 this year.
Created in the 19th century, this gorgeous work of art has a very interesting past. Apprently, it was owned by a patron of Claude Monet and Hamburg banker Eduard Ludwig Behrens only to be stolen by the Nazis. The Behrens family got it back in 2008 on the advice of the Dutch Restitutions Committee. Just so you know, Georg Behrens was arrested in 1938 and sent to a concentration camp. As of now the heirs request complete anonymity.
We are told that Adolf Hitler had seized 650,000 pieces during the 12 years he was in power. And this particular painting once belonged the much respected Behrens collection which was held with high regard all over Europe. For the past 66 years, the painting was hung in the Kroller-Muller Museum in Otterlo.
Via luxist
