US court rules against heirs in Matisse restitution case against National Gallery

A New York federal court has dismissed a claim by the heirs of Greta Moll seeking the return of a 1908 Matisse portrait from the National Gallery in London, or £30 million in compensation. The painting, "Portrait of Greta Moll," was commissioned by her husband Oskar Moll. The heirs argued it was illegally sold in 1946 by a former art student entrusted to safeguard it, who instead sold it in Switzerland. The court ruled the museum bought it in good faith and that the claim was filed too late. The painting passed through Knoedler & Co and Lefevre Gallery before the National Gallery acquired it in 1979. The Spoliation Advisory Panel also rejected the claim, noting the sale occurred after the Nazi regime ended in 1945. The National Gallery welcomed the decision, stating the family knew of the painting's location for decades before filing in 2011. The case raises ethical questions about provenance and institutional responsibility.