nuOct 15, 2026, 13:02

Kandinsky painting looted by Nazis from Amsterdam auctioned for 32 million euros

A 1907 painting by Wassily Kandinsky, which was stolen by Nazis from a Jewish family in Amsterdam during World War II, has been sold at auction for 32 million euros. The artwork was returned to the descendants of Emanuel and Hedwig Lewenstein in 2023 after German authorities officially recognized it as looted property.

The expressionist painting Das bunte Leben, created by Wassily Kandinsky in 1907, was sold at auction for 32 million euros. The artwork was originally acquired in 1927 by the Jewish industrialist Emanuel Lewenstein and his wife Hedwig, who resided in Amsterdam. Following the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in 1940, the family's extensive art collection was confiscated by the occupiers.

After passing through several hands and eventually being housed in a museum in Munich, the painting was officially identified as looted art by German authorities in 2023. Following this ruling, the Bayerische Landesbank returned the masterpiece to the Lewenstein heirs. This sale follows the 2023 auction of another Kandinsky work, Bild mit Häusern, which the family had previously reclaimed from the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam after a prolonged legal dispute with the city government.

Business Culture Amsterdam Netherlands

Read original ↗

Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

ADE: from trade fair to global stage in 30 years

Over the past 30 years, the Amsterdam Dance Event has evolved from a small gathering of 30 performances in three clubs to a massive international festival featuring over 1,200 events. This transformation underscores its significant growth and long-standing importance in the global electronic music scene.

Not just IDFA: Amsterdam’s wider cultural sector hit by rising hotel costs as tourist tax hike drives away key visitors

Amsterdam's cultural sector, including major events like IDFA, ADE, and the Holland Festival, is struggling due to rising tourist taxes and hotel VAT. These increased costs are forcing organizers to raise ticket prices and reduce programming, threatening the accessibility and quality of the city's cultural offerings.

30 years of ADE: how a small networking conference grew into the world's largest dance marathon

The Amsterdam Dance Event is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having grown from a small industry gathering into the world's largest dance festival. Over the past three decades, the event has helped transform electronic music into a recognized art form while solidifying the Netherlands' reputation as a global leader in the dance industry.

IDFA film festival sounds alarm over higher tourist tax: 'Amsterdam is pricing itself out of the market for cultural events'

The IDFA documentary festival warns that rising hotel VAT and tourist taxes are making it difficult to host international cultural events in Amsterdam. Festival director Cees van 't Hullenaar states that these costs are pricing the city out of the competitive event market.

Harry Styles concerts in Arena caused inflation in the Netherlands to rise

Economists from De Nederlandsche Bank have linked a series of ten concerts by Harry Styles in Amsterdam to a rise in Dutch inflation during May. The high demand from international fans led to a significant surge in hotel and ticket prices, marking an unusual impact on the national economy.