Recent Global Developments in Nazi-Looted Art Restitution

Want to stay informed about the latest developments in the restitution of Nazi-looted art? Curious about what’s happening in the U.S. and Germany, or how new technologies are shaping research in this field?

“Recent Global Developments in Nazi-Looted Art Restitution” featured a panel of professionals from diverse backgrounds, discussing key updates in the restitution of Nazi-looted art, including the current Senate vote on the HEAR Act and its implications for restitution claims in the U.S., the recent modification from the German Commission to Arbitral Court in Germany, and the use of digital tools and data to advance restitution research and claims.

Speakers:

Amanda Buonaiuto

Amanda BUONAIUTO is a Brazilian lawyer with a specialization in Nazi-looted art restitution. With expertise in provenance research, she is responsible for leading the Nazi-Looted Art Restitution Project for the Center for Art Law.

Peter Toren

Peter J. TOREN is an intellectual property attorney and a member of the Center for Art Law Board of Directors. He represents his family in a case against the Federal Republic of Germany involving family art stolen during the Second World War (Toren v. Federal Republic of Germany, 1:16-cv-01885-RJL (D.D.C.)).

Olaf S. Ossman

Olaf S. OSSMANN is a Swiss & German attorney who is a member at the “Studies of Jewish Law at the Humboldt University Berlin” and Member of the Board of Governors of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers (IJL). He has been a lecturer and advisor of the Rabbinerseminar Berlin as well the working group “Legal issues of looted art” at the “Holocaust Era Asset Conference, Prag”. Mr. Ossmann is the Founding President of the “Stiftung Menschenbild, Winterthur” and serves as a Board Member of the “Eva Cassirer Stiftung, Vaduz.”

Laurel Zuckerman

Laurel ZUCKERMAN’s work currently focuses on the art world and the Holocaust. She explores how linked open data, natural language processing, network analysis and the digital tools and techniques of investigative data journalism can be used to identify patterns in false provenances in Nazi-looted art and duress sales. In 2016, after twelve years of research, she filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the restitution of Picasso’s The Actor (Zuckerman v. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, No. 18-634 (2d Cir. 2019)).

Lilah Aubrey

Lilah AUBREY is Managing Director of Art Ashes (Art Restitution To Assist Survivors of the Holocaust Emergency Services), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping families recover Nazi-looted art. Founded in 2023, Art Ashes enhances restitution efforts by providing resources and funding to claimants, as well as directly supporting independent researchers involved at various stages of recovery. The foundation also promotes education around the theft of Jewish property and ethical research practices. When restitutions result in the sale of artwork, families agree to donate a portion of proceeds to Holocaust Survivors in financial need—who still comprise nearly half of the remaining Survivor population. In addition to her work with Art Ashes, Lilah is an independent advisor and art collection manager, following roles at Richard Gray Gallery in New York and Chicago and at Sotheby’s in Boston. Specializing in 20th- and 21st-century art, she oversees consignments, sales, loans, appraisals, and estate management. Drawing on experience across the art market, she works closely with galleries, auction houses, and both private and institutional clients to shape collections, guide stewardship, and support cultural philanthropy.