Le marché de l'art sous l'occupation: 1940-1944

Synopsis of Le marché de l'art sous l'occupation: 1940-1944

This book provides an exhaustive investigation into the art market in France during the Nazi occupation between 1940 and 1944. Emmanuelle Polack analyzes how the systematic confiscation of artworks belonging to Jewish families and other persecuted individuals fueled a flourishing market, where dealers, experts, and buyers took advantage of the situation to acquire valuable pieces at reduced prices.

Through previously unexamined archives, the author reveals the inner workings of this dark network that involved galleries, auction houses, and various intermediaries. The work not only documents the looting and the fate of thousands of paintings and objects, but also addresses the lack of justice after the war and the persistent issue of artworks that have still not been returned to their rightful owners.