Overview
- The New York Supreme Court ordered on Tuesday, June 16 that dealer David Nahmad must return Amedeo Modigliani’s Seated Man With a Cane to Oscar Stettiner’s heir within 30 days.
- The order follows an April ruling that concluded the painting was illegally taken from Jewish dealer Oscar Stettiner during World War II and belongs to his estate.
- Nahmad’s lawyers say they will appeal and seek to present eyewitness testimony from Frederic Allain and Odile Carlotti‑Allain plus research by Modigliani expert Marc Restellini to argue the work is misidentified.
- Philippe Maestracci, Stettiner’s grandson, began recovery efforts in 2011 and sued in New York in 2015 with help from Mondex, and his lawyers warn further appeals could delay restitution for years.
- The painting was bought at Christie’s in 1996 for $3.2 million and is now valued at about $25–30 million, a fact that heightens reputational and market stakes for dealers, heirs and museums as the case proceeds.