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The Headlines
GÖRING, GÖRING, GÖRING, GONE! Earlier this week, Breakfast with ARTnews informed our loyal readers about a long-lost, Nazi-looted painting that had been spotted in a house in Argentina after photos were posted on a real estate website. The snaps showed the work, Portrait of a Lady by Giuseppe Ghislandi, hanging above a sofa in a home that was being sold by the daughter of Friedrich Kadgien, a high-ranking Nazi who fled to Argentina after World War II. Once part of Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker’s collection, the artwork had been missing for over 80 years. However, when police recently raided the property after the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reported the painting’s reappearance, the artwork was gone—replaced by a large tapestry—and furnishings had been rearranged, the BBC reports. Two weapons were seized during the search. The Argentine authorities said the case is being treated as an alleged smuggling cover-up. Kadgien, an SS officer and aide to Hermann Göring, has previously been linked to looted artworks, including a floral still life by Abraham Mignon—also seen on a family member’s social media. Goudstikker’s heir, Marei von Saher, has vowed to reclaim all stolen works. In 2006, she recovered 202 pieces and continues efforts to restore her family’s legacy. Attempts to contact Kadgien’s daughters have so far been unsuccessful.
DEAD DAD PROVENANCE. Yet another looting story for you: an Egyptian doctor turned antiquities smuggler has been jailed in the US after swapping his medical career for the more profitable business of trafficking looted artifacts, The National reports. Ashraf Eldarir, 52, was sentenced to six months in prison in New York after pleading guilty to four counts of smuggling. His arrest came after US authorities intercepted him at JFK Airport with 590 ancient Egyptian artifacts in his luggage—a haul prosecutors described as part of a “prodigious smuggling” operation. According to a letter from US Attorney Joseph Nocella, Eldarir began smuggling during the 2011 Egyptian revolution, when widespread looting plagued archaeological sites. He later relocated to New York, working as a taxi driver while coordinating with suspected looters in Egypt, including a shadowy figure known only as “Major Hassan.” Eldarir also fabricated false ownership histories, using a tactic known in the antiquities trade as “dead dad provenance,” claiming the artifacts came from his grandfather. One such item, a shabti figurine later sold to the British Museum, still lists Eldarir’s grandfather in its provenance—highlighting the challenges of tracking looted cultural heritage.
The Digest
Slated to open in March 2028 and designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, Tashkent’s National Museum of Uzbekistan will be one of the country’s leading cultural landmarks. [designboom]
James Steward, director of the Princeton University Art Museum, says US museums can’t stay silent amid political attacks on the arts. [Artnet]
Painted on a sentry box in the City of London, Piranhas, one of nine Banksy artworks that appeared across London last summer, will soon be shown at London Museum‘s new Smithfield location. [BBC]
Here’s an “art world insider’s guide” to Seoul’s best museums and galleries, ahead of the Frieze Seoul. [FT]
The Kicker
YOUNG LOVE. As the Wall Street Journal writes, dinner at David Geffen’s home has never been ordinary. The 19,000-square-foot mansion perched above Sunset Boulevard is filled with world-class art, including pieces like David Hockney’s iconic pool painting, worth tens of millions. Evenings might include private movie screenings, with guests dining near his impressive collection of trophies and masterpieces. But in recent years, visitors found themselves whispering not about the art or luxury—but about Geffen himself. The famously ruthless mogul, once dubbed the “merciless Macbeth” of Hollywood’s “gay mafia,” was declaring something unexpected: he was in love. Carole Bayer Sager, a longtime friend, said the revelation shocked her. “At that point in his life… it was a surprise. And he was happy.” The object of his affection was Donovan Michaels, a model 50 years younger. They met in 2016 under controversial circumstances—initially described as Geffen’s trainer, Michaels later claimed their first meeting was a paid sexual encounter. Despite this, their bond grew, leading to a short-lived marriage. Geffen, then in his 70s and a retired billionaire philanthropist, brought Michaels into a world of elite gatherings—Oprah, McCartney, Springsteen. Michaels, in his 20s, had come from modest roots, now swept into the rarefied orbit of one of entertainment’s most powerful figures. But the relationship turned sour, and now, 80-odd-year-old Geffen is embroiled in an explosive divorce.
