During World War II, untold numbers of artworks and pieces of cultural property were stolen by Nazi forces. After the war, an estimated one million artworks and 2.5 million books were recovered. Many more were destroyed. The exhibition, Afterlives: Recovering the Lost Stories of Looted Art, at the Jewish Museum (NY) chronicles the layered stories of the objects that survived, exploring the circumstances of their theft, their post-war rescue, and their afterlives in museums and private collections. It also explores how the surviving artworks and other precious objects were changed by those events, bearing witness to profound historical ruptures while also acting as enduring carriers of individual expression, knowledge, and creativity. It follows the paths taken by works of art across national borders, through military depots, and in and out of networks of collectors, looters, ideologues, and restitution organizations.
This webinar will share information about this exhibit.
