Negress, a painting by Anna Bilińska-Bohdanowiczowa, looted in World War II, was returned to the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw after nearly 70 years, thanks to joint efforts of The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation at Citi Handlowy and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Until 1933 the painting was owned by Dominik Witke-Jeżewski, one of Warsaw's renowned art collectors. In August 1933 it was deposited with the National Museum in Warsaw. The Museum then purchased the painting in 1939, only to lose it in World War II. In 2011 the painting surfaced in Villa Grisebach auction house in Berlin. Its successful recovery was only made possible by a prompt reaction from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and financial support from The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation. As a result of negotiations conducted via a German law office, it was settled that in December 2011 the current owner would be reimbursed for returning the painting to Poland. The cost was covered by The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation.
Negress is not the first piece of art The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation donated to the National Museum in Warsaw. In 1997, with the Foundation's help, the Museum's collection acquired a set of over 170 sliver items manufactured by the highest-rated 19th century Warsaw goldsmiths. In 2010 the Foundation recovered Resting in Tatra Shed, a painting by Wojciech Gerson, formerly in the collection of Leopold Kronenberg, looted in World War II. The painting is considered one of the artist's best and was donated to Warsaw Royal Castle.
The recovery of Negress marked the launch of a new program, Recovery of Polish Art, to be run jointly by The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
"Our intention is to continue working with the Ministry of Culture. We hope that this alliance will lead to the recovery of other items on the Ministry's list of lost art. Recovered items will be passed to their original owners or their legal successors." declared Krzysztof Kaczmar, President of Management Board, The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation.
On 18 June 2012 the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation will sign a letter of intent, outlining the terms of their cooperation in the new program.
