Painting stolen by Nazis found in New York museum by FBI

A detail of the painting, entitled Winter, by American artist Gari Melchers - full painting below

A painting seized by the Nazis from a Jewish family in Germany in 1933 has been found at a museum in New York.

The artwork - entitled Winter, by American artist Gari Melchers - was on display at the Arkell Museum until it was recognised last month.

Before being taken by the Nazis, it was owned by German philanthropist and publisher Rudolf Mosse, who was Jewish.

The piece is being held by the FBI until it can be returned to the Mosse family.

The recovery is part of an international effort to locate artwork that was seized by Nazis.

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The painting was purchased by Mr Mosse in 1900 at the Great Berlin Art Exhibition.

It was seized by the Nazis along with the rest of the Mosse family collection when they fled Germany.

The family was persecuted by the Nazis for being Jewish and because they were affiliated with Berliner Tageblatt, a newspaper critical of the Nazi party.

In 1934, the work was acquired by American industrialist Bartlett Arkell from a New York City gallery. It was part of his personal collection before becoming part of the museum that bears his name.

The museum's executive director and chief curator, Susan D Friedlander, said that the museum was "very upset" to learn the painting's history. The museum waived all rights to the painting.

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