Egon Schiele's 'Wilted Sunflowers' Stolen by Nazis Recovered and Sold for €17M

Egon Schiele's 1914 painting 'Wilted Sunflowers (Autumn Summer II)' was stolen by Nazis from Jewish collector Karl Grünwald in 1938, disappeared after WWII, and later found in a modest apartment in France. Restored and restituted to Grünwald's family, it was auctioned at Christie's in 2006 for over €17 million. The painting's history inspired the 2024 film 'The Stolen Painting' directed by Pascal Bonitzer. Schiele, a key figure of Austrian Expressionism alongside Oskar Kokoschka, is known for his distorted, anguished forms and provocative sexual content. His work was labeled 'degenerate art' by the Nazis. Schiele studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, was influenced by Gustav Klimt and the Secession, but developed a more aggressive, despairing style. His scandalous lifestyle led to a three-week imprisonment for obscenity. The painting contrasts with Van Gogh's sunflowers, depicting decay and melancholy.