Nazi Art Owner: I’m Keeping Them

The German art collector found to have many works of art stolen by the Nazis insisted on Sunday that he will not be giving up the paintings—saying they were “acquired legally.” Cornelius Gurlitt’s collection, comprised of 1,400 works, is believed to be worth $1.35 billion, including works by Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Otto Dix, and Max Lieberman—and many of which were believed to be destroyed. Many of the works are believed to have been seized by the Nazis, and Gurlitt’s father was a dealer who sold art that had been confiscated or bought by the Nazis, but it appears that he kept many of the works for himself. “I’m giving up nothing voluntarily,” Gurlitt said.