UK Edition
National Gallery will 'robustly defend' itself against claims it has stolen Matisse portrait in its collection
The National Gallery will "robustly defend" itself against claims it has a stolen Matisse portrait in its collection, it has confirmed, as it insists it is the legal owner and must fight on “on behalf of the British people”.
The galley has been at the centre of a row over Matisse’s portrait of Greta Moll, after three of her grandchildren claimed it rightfully belonged to them and had been stolen from the family after the Second World War.
The three grandchildren – Oliver Williams, from Kent; his cousin Margaret Green, who lives in East Yorkshire, and a third Germany-based cousin, Iris Filmer – last month launched legal proceedings in a federal court in Manhattan, after five years of wrangling over the ownership.
They are seeking the return of the painting or $30 million in compensation, arguing the gallery
The National Gallery, which at the time said it could not comment on ongoing legal proceedings, yesterday claimed it bought the painting in good faith and is its rightful owner.
They argue the case does not concern Nazi looted art, with Greta Moll moving to Wales in 1947 when, they say, the painting was still in the family's possession.
The Moll descendants claim it was sold on by a third party without the knowledge of Mrs Moll.
David Rowland, representing the family, has previously told the Telegraph: “Greta Moll, its subject and owner, never sold or transferred title to the portrait to anyone, and it still rightfully belongs to her heirs, the Moll family.
“Unfortunately, because of its refusal to return the portrait to the Moll heirs, the National Gallery has left the Moll family no other choice than to file suit to recover this lost family heirloom.”
Dr Gabriele Finaldi, director of the National Gallery, said: “We are proud to have Matisse’s superb 'Portrait of Greta Moll' on show to the public in Trafalgar Square and we are confident that the National Gallery is the rightful owner of this work.”
Hannah Rothschild, chairman of trustees, added: "The Board of Trustees of the National Gallery have full confidence in our rightful ownership of Matisse’s 'Portrait of Greta Moll' and we will robustly defend this action on behalf of the British public."
A spokesman said: “We do not believe there is any justification for litigation in the USA, given that we purchased the painting in the UK, and that none of the family members bringing the claim are residents of the USA."
A statement released by the gallery yesterday pointed out that the painting had been exhibited and published numerous times before it was acquired in 1979.
“The Moll family themselves have acknowledged that they have known of the painting’s location for decades and over the years since we bought the painting we have had contact with a number of them,” the statement said.
“One of Greta Moll’s daughters was photographed in front of the painting in 1992. In 1995, another of her daughters was in correspondence with the Gallery about the fact that her mother preferred the name ‘Marg’ to Grete or Greta Moll.
“At no point was it ever suggested to us that the painting had been stolen from the family, or that the family had any concerns with the painting being on display here at the National Gallery.”
When they received a letter from US lawyers in 2011, the gallery claimed it invited the family to inspect all papers relating to the painting’s history and provenance.
Mr Rowland, speaking for the family, said they stood by the claim and would be pursuing the case.