Lost Masterpiece Returns to Wroclaw After 70 Years

Quick Smiles:

• A long-lost painting by Bertha Wegmann has been returned to Polish authorities after over seven decades.
• The artwork was inherited by a Danish couple who generously donated it to the Wroclaw National Museum.
• Since 2008, Poland has recovered over 800 cultural treasures lost in wartime.

After vanishing for more than seventy years, a beautiful early 20th century painting by Bertha Wegmann has finally come home to Wroclaw. The piece, titled ‘Summer,’ surfaced at a Danish auction last year, delighting art lovers and historians as it prepared to be displayed once again.

The painting depicts a serene rural scene where a woman lovingly nurses her children, surrounded by golden fields.

It was originally acquired by the Silesian Artists’ Association in 1906 and donated to the city’s esteemed girls’ school.

Following World War II, many precious works disappeared during the complex transfer of Lower Silesia to Poland, and ‘Summer’ became one of more than 100,000 objects missing from cultural collections.

Last year, Poland’s Ministry of Culture was notified of the painting’s appearance at a Danish auction thanks to the Art Loss Register. A Polish-language label on the back confirmed its origins, allowing for a successful request for its return.

The generous action of the Danish couple who inherited the painting made this joyful reunion possible. They had no knowledge of its storied history but nonetheless chose to donate it back to Poland, where it now belongs.

Culture minister Marta Cienkowska expressed her gratitude, offering

“special thanks to the family of the painting’s previous owners, thanks to whose kindness and understanding it was returned to us today”.

With this recovery, the ministry celebrates 805 reclaimed works since 2008, breathing new life into cherished cultural heritage.

If stories of cultural treasures being restored lift your spirits, share this tale of kindness and dedication with others!

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