Tate Britain is set to return a 17th-century painting to the descendants of a Jewish Belgian art collector after it was taken from his home by the Nazis during World War II.
The artwork, Aeneas and His Family Fleeing Burning Troy, was painted by Henry Gibbs in 1654 and is considered an important historical piece. The Spoliation Advisory Panel, which investigates cases of Nazi-looted art held in UK national collections, determined that the painting was taken from its original owner, Samuel Hartveld, as “an act of racial persecution.”
The decision to return the artwork marks another step in the ongoing effort to restore stolen cultural heritage to its rightful owners.
The Spoliation Advisory Panel was established to resolve claims from individuals or their heirs who lost valuable cultural property during the Nazi era. Hartveld, a well-known art collector, had left the painting in his home in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1940 when he fled the country with his wife to escape Nazi persecution.
The UK government confirmed that the painting will now be returned to Hartveld’s great-grandchildren and heirs. The decision was met with widespread support, with many viewing it as an essential act of historical justice.
UK Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant commended the panel’s work, emphasizing the importance of returning stolen cultural items to their rightful owners. “This is the right decision,” he stated. “Helping to reunite families with their most treasured possessions is not just about returning property—it’s about acknowledging historical wrongs and ensuring that the atrocities of the past are never forgotten.”
The case has drawn attention to the ongoing impact of Nazi-era looting and the long, complex process of identifying and restituting stolen artworks.
The painting itself carries significant historical and literary meaning. It depicts a dramatic scene from Virgil’s Aeneid, in which the Trojan hero Aeneas flees the burning city of Troy with his family. Art historians believe the work may also serve as a commentary on the English Civil War, drawing parallels between the destruction of Troy and the turmoil in 17th-century England.
Despite its historical value, the painting was not on public display at Tate Britain at the time of the restitution claim.
The artwork’s journey through the decades reveals a troubling history. In the years following the war, the painting resurfaced in the collection of Rene van den Broeck, who had purchased Hartveld’s home and art collection for what the panel described as “a paltry sum.”
Hartveld survived the war but was never reunited with his collection, much of which was scattered across Europe. In 1994, Tate Britain acquired the painting from the Galerie Jan de Maere in Brussels, unaware of its tainted past. At the time, extensive research was conducted into the painting’s provenance, but crucial details about its previous ownership remained undiscovered.
The claim for restitution was officially filed last year by the Sonia Klein Trust, an organization established by Hartveld’s heirs to recover stolen family assets.
In response to the panel’s decision, the trustees issued a statement expressing their appreciation: “We are deeply grateful for this decision, which acknowledges the awful Nazi persecution of Samuel Hartveld and restores an important part of his legacy to our family.”
The ruling is seen as not only a legal victory but also a deeply personal one, allowing the Hartveld descendants to reclaim a piece of their lost history.
Tate Britain’s director, Maria Balshaw, also welcomed the decision, describing it as “a profound privilege to help reunite this work with its rightful heirs.” She emphasized the importance of the spoliation process, which seeks to correct historical injustices and ensure that stolen artworks are returned to their original owners.
“Although the artwork’s provenance was extensively investigated when it was acquired in 1994, crucial facts concerning its previous ownership were not known,” Balshaw explained. She added that she looks forward to officially presenting the painting to the trust in the coming months, marking the conclusion of a decades-long journey toward justice.
