Researchers Trace Looted Nazi Painting to Hitler Home
A 1831 work by Carl Gottlieb Peschel is discovered to have once resided in Adolf Hitler's private residence.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Fine Art
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Researchers have tracked a painting once owned by a Dutch Jewish collector to Adolf Hitler's personal residence in Berlin. The work was later moved to a Munich storage facility before reaching its current home in Würzburg, Germany.
Why it matters
The discovery highlights the provenance of items seized during the Nazi regime, which aimed to curate a collection for a planned Führermuseum. The painting remains in a public museum despite its history as a victim of state-sponsored looting.
The painting, Carl Gottlieb Peschel's 1831 work Joseph Sold by His Brothers, is one of four pieces linked to the Nijkerk collection. Seven descendants remain connected to the family legacy, though they have not yet initiated a formal claim.
The players
Carl Gottlieb Peschel
He was the artist who created the 1831 painting Joseph Sold by His Brothers.
Bob Nijkerk
He was a Dutch Jewish collector who held the painting before it was seized during the Nazi occupation.
Diederik Oostdijk
He is the researcher who identified the painting's provenance in his book Overlevingskunst.
Martin von Wagner Museum
This institution in Würzburg, Germany, currently holds the painting in its collection.
Rijksmuseum
This Dutch national museum currently holds three other paintings linked to the original Nijkerk collection.
The details
Archival research by Diederik Oostdijk, documented in his book Overlevingskunst, confirmed the painting was gifted to Bob Nijkerk in 1941 before the Nazis seized his family company. The work was subsequently part of a collection intended for the planned Führermuseum, while the family survived the Holocaust and moved to Switzerland.
Timeline
1831 marks the year Carl Gottlieb Peschel painted Joseph Sold by His Brothers.
Bob Nijkerk received the painting as a gift in 1941.
The family was transported to Switzerland in 1945.
Bob Nijkerk died in 1987.
Industry Dynamics
This discovery illuminates the broader history of the planned Führermuseum and the systematic looting of Jewish-owned art during the Holocaust. It underscores the ongoing challenge of identifying and addressing the provenance of items held in public institutions.
The painting is currently housed at the Martin von Wagner Museum in Würzburg, Germany, where it is available for public viewing. If the descendants choose to pursue formal restitution in the future, the work may be sold or moved.
The takeaway
Understanding the provenance of art pieces remains a critical component of post-war historical accountability. Families of victims who suspect they hold items with questionable ownership can leverage archival research to seek answers about their heritage.
Further reading
Learn more about historical art provenance and current recovery efforts in the Fine Art section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ARTnews.
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