Femme nue couchée
Encyclopedia
Femme nue couchée is a 1862 painting
by French
Realist
painter Gustave Courbet
(1819–1877). It depicts a young dark-haired woman reclining on a couch, wearing only a pair of shoes and stocking
s. Behind her, partly drawn red curtains reveal an overcast sky seen through a closed window. The work is likely influenced by Goya's La maja desnuda
.
The painting was initially owned by Alexandre Berthier
and later by Marcell Nemes. In 1913, it was bought by the Hungarian collector Ferenc Hatvany
. At one time, he painted a copy of the painting and, as a practical joke, sent it to be exhibited as the original at a Belgrade
exhibition. Together with the rest of Hatvany's collection, the painting was looted
from a Budapest
bank vault during the 1945 Soviet conquest of the city in World War II
. After it was briefly seen attached to the tarpaulin of a Soviet military vehicle on Buda Castle
Hill, the painting appeared to have vanished without a trace.
It surfaced again in 2000 and 2003, when it was offered for sale first to the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts and then to the Commission for Art Recovery (CAR) by a Slovak
man claiming to be an antiques dealer, but who appeared to his interlocutors to be involved with the Slovak organised crime scene. The dealer produced an affidavit
, judged reliable by the CAR, stating that the painting was given by Soviet soldiers to a doctor from a village near Bratislava
in return for his medical treatment of a wounded soldier. An inspection of the picture's craquelure
determined that the painting was indeed the original and not Hatvany's copy.
After five years of negotiations, Interpol
involvement and diplomatic wrangling between the US and Slovakian government, the CAR managed to acquire the painting for Hatvany's heirs in exchange for a USD 300,000 reward. It was shown to the public for the first time since the 1930s in a 2007 Courbet exposition at the Grand Palais
in Paris
.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Realist
Realism (visual arts)
Realism in the visual arts is a style that depicts the actuality of what the eyes can see. The term is used in different senses in art history; it may mean the same as illusionism, the representation of subjects with visual mimesis or verisimilitude, or may mean an emphasis on the actuality of...
painter Gustave Courbet
Gustave Courbet
Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet was a French painter who led the Realist movement in 19th-century French painting. The Realist movement bridged the Romantic movement , with the Barbizon School and the Impressionists...
(1819–1877). It depicts a young dark-haired woman reclining on a couch, wearing only a pair of shoes and stocking
Stocking
A stocking, , is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg. Stockings vary in color, design and transparency...
s. Behind her, partly drawn red curtains reveal an overcast sky seen through a closed window. The work is likely influenced by Goya's La maja desnuda
La Maja Desnuda
La maja desnuda is an oil on canvas painting by the Spanish painter Francisco Goya , portraying a nude woman reclining on a bed of pillows. It was executed some time between 1797 and 1800, and is sometimes said to be the first clear depiction of female pubic hair in a large Western painting...
.
The painting was initially owned by Alexandre Berthier
Alexandre Louis Philippe Marie Berthier, 4th Prince de Wagram
Alexandre Louis Philippe Marie Berthier was the son of Bertha Clara von Rothschild of the German branch of the prominent Rothschild family and Louis Philippe Marie Alexandre Berthier, 3rd Prince de Wagram...
and later by Marcell Nemes. In 1913, it was bought by the Hungarian collector Ferenc Hatvany
Ferenc Hatvany
Baron Ferenc Hatvany was a Hungarian painter and art collector. A member of the Hatvany-Deutsch family, he graduated in the Académie Julian in Paris...
. At one time, he painted a copy of the painting and, as a practical joke, sent it to be exhibited as the original at a Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
exhibition. Together with the rest of Hatvany's collection, the painting was looted
Looted art
Looted art has been a consequence of looting during war, natural disaster and riot for centuries. Looting of art, archaeology and other cultural property may be an opportunistic criminal act, or may be a more organized case of unlawful or unethical pillage by the victor of a conflict."Looted art"...
from a Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
bank vault during the 1945 Soviet conquest of the city in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After it was briefly seen attached to the tarpaulin of a Soviet military vehicle on Buda Castle
Buda Castle
Buda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, first completed in 1265. In the past, it was also called Royal Palace and Royal Castle ....
Hill, the painting appeared to have vanished without a trace.
It surfaced again in 2000 and 2003, when it was offered for sale first to the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts and then to the Commission for Art Recovery (CAR) by a Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
man claiming to be an antiques dealer, but who appeared to his interlocutors to be involved with the Slovak organised crime scene. The dealer produced an affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
, judged reliable by the CAR, stating that the painting was given by Soviet soldiers to a doctor from a village near Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
in return for his medical treatment of a wounded soldier. An inspection of the picture's craquelure
Craquelure
In art, craquelure is the fine pattern of dense "cracking" formed on the surface of paintings, in particular due to the aging of paints. It is often used to determine the age of paintings and to detect art forgery, as craquelure is a hard-to-forge signature of authenticity.-Authentic:Authentic...
determined that the painting was indeed the original and not Hatvany's copy.
After five years of negotiations, Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
involvement and diplomatic wrangling between the US and Slovakian government, the CAR managed to acquire the painting for Hatvany's heirs in exchange for a USD 300,000 reward. It was shown to the public for the first time since the 1930s in a 2007 Courbet exposition at the Grand Palais
Grand Palais
This article contains material abridged and translated from the French and Spanish Wikipedia.The Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées, commonly known as the Grand Palais , is a large historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located at the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.