The legal battle over the painting, in the hands of a Madrid museum, has spanned more than 15 years
that has rumbled on for more than 15 years. When Claude died in 2010, his son David took up the claim.
Instead the legal battle – including the question now being put to the supreme court – has centred on whether California or Spanish law should be used to determine the painting’s rightful owner. The Cassirers had asked the courts to apply local law. “Under California law, there’s no possibility of a person getting good title to a stolen piece of property,” said Zack.
“Further harm and offence is caused to the Jewish population in Spain when a government-funded institution publicly displays and claims rightful ownership over an artistic work looted by the Nazis during the Holocaust,” the Jewish Community of Madrid and the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain said in their submission.