Le Père: the portrait Chagall bought back without knowing its past
A picture stolen from a musician eventually returned through the artist’s own estate.
David Cender, a Jewish musician and instrument maker, bought Le Père in 1928. He lost it after being forced into the Łódź ghetto in 1940. He survived Auschwitz; his wife and daughter were murdered.
Chagall apparently reacquired the portrait between 1947 and 1953, unaware of its ownership history. It later entered France’s national collection through his estate and was displayed at the Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaïsme.
Provenance research identified it as Cender’s stolen painting. A specific French law enabled its removal from the public collection, and the Ministry of Culture returned it to his heirs on 1 April 2022.
Artwork Details & DocumentationIdentification, ownership history and supporting records
Individual artwork identification details have not yet been documented in this record. Missing specifications are not inferred from the photograph or report headline.
Not documented in this record: object type · materials & technique · measurements · inscriptions & markings · distinguishing features · artwork title · maker / attribution · creation date / period · subject.
Record sources
Identification details follow the Object ID categories where documented. Ownership history is recorded separately; this documentation is not an authentication or a certificate of ownership.
Documentary sources
- French Ministry of Culture: restitution, 1 April 2022 ↗
- The Jewish Museum: provenance and post-restitution loan ↗
An original ArtTraceX synthesis. Sources checked .