New York Court Orders Restitution of Modigliani Painting to Jewish Heir
A New York Supreme Court judge has ruled that the 1918 painting 'Seated Man With a Cane' by Amedeo Modigliani should be returned to the heir of Jewish art dealer Oscar Stettiner. The decision comes after an 11-year legal battle initiated by Stettiner's grandson, Philippe Maestracci, who filed the case in 2015. The painting, valued at up to $25 million, was found to have been unlawfully seized by the Nazis during World War II. The current owner, billionaire art dealer David Nahmad, acquired the painting through his holding company, International Art Center. Despite the Nahmad family's claims that the painting was not Nazi loot, the court found sufficient evidence linking the artwork to Stettiner, including a label on the painting and documentation of its loan to the Venice Biennale. 
