Treasure from the 19th century lost during the war recovered. "The Lady with a Fan" returned to Wilanów

The print "Lady with a Fan", also known as "Lady Standing in a White Dress with a Fan in Her Hand", was recovered after almost 80 years.

Masovian monument conservator Marcin Dawidowicz informed that the work most likely comes from the 19th century. It is an oil print with hand-painted elements, made on paper and glued to canvas.

Missing during the war

The work was first recorded in the Wilanów "Inventory of Paintings" from 1877, and then in the catalog from 1895. In both cases, it had the inventory number 775.

Like most of the furnishings of the Wilanów residence, it was probably taken away in the fall of 1944 during an operation led by German commissioner Alfred Schellenberg, said the conservator.

The original Wilanów markings have been preserved on the back of the graphic - a sticker with the old inventory number and the stamp "PAINTING GALLERY IN WILLANÓW". The current owners - a German couple - decided to unconditionally return the work to the museum.

The graphic has been entered into the register of monuments and is currently on display in Kordegarda at the "Lost/Recovered" exhibition.

This is another example of effective actions to recover Polish war losses and return priceless works of art to the country.