In 1964, Robert Owen Lehman Sr., a philanthropist and art collector, purchased a drawing by Egon Schiele as a holiday gift for his son, Robert Owen Lehman Jr. The drawing, titled “Portrait of the Artist’s Wife,” is now at the center of a courtroom battle where the son’s foundation is defending its ownership against claims from the heirs of two Jewish art collectors who allege their relatives lost the work during the Holocaust. The collectors, Karl Mayländer and Heinrich Rieger, were associates of Schiele in Austria and both killed by the Nazis during World War II.
The bench trial examining the ownership of the drawing began in Rochester, N.Y., with representatives of the three families presenting their claims. The estimated worth of the drawing is in the millions, adding significant value to the case. The court will have to consider decades-old records, circumstantial evidence, and a provenance with significant gaps to determine the rightful owner. The foundation maintains that the drawing has not been listed as stolen or looted in any database for decades after World War II, suggesting it was not considered lost.
Robert Owen Lehman Jr., an award-winning documentary filmmaker, testified in court about the dispute that has lingered for eight years. He expressed frustration over the situation that became further complicated when a second group of heirs emerged. Justice Daniel J. Doyle will have to weigh the evidence presented by each party to reach a fair decision on the ownership of the artwork. The Lehman family’s prominence in American commerce and culture adds significance to the case.
The involvement of the Lehman family in the dispute adds a layer of complexity due to their legacy in American society. Robert Owen Lehman Sr., the son’s father, was a devoted art collector whose collection was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art after his death. Robert Owen Lehman Jr. opted for a career in music and later as a documentary filmmaker instead of joining the family investment business, which collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis. The involvement of the family adds historical and cultural weight to the case.
The drawing by Egon Schiele adds a level of artistic significance to the dispute, as the artist is recognized as one of the most influential artists of his era. Schiele’s work has soared in value in recent years, further escalating the importance of determining the rightful ownership of the drawing. Robert Owen Lehman Sr. acquired the drawing in 1964 and gifted it to his son, who later passed it on to his foundation in 2016. The foundation intended to sell the work to support the promotion of classical music and new artistic endeavors.
The ownership claims by the heirs of the Austrian collectors emerged after the foundation consigned the drawing for sale with Christie’s. The potential connections to Mayländer and Rieger prompted Christie’s to contact their representatives. The heirs of the collectors presented documents asserting their relatives were the true former owners of the drawing. The Lehman foundation disputes these claims, maintaining that neither Mayländer nor Rieger owned the specific drawing purchased by Robert Owen Lehman Sr. in 1964. Despite the legal battle, Mr. Lehman expressed sympathy for the heirs who suffered loss during the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of justice in returning stolen artwork to rightful heirs.
