Dutch city settles on looted Jan Steen painting

[August 16, 2011]  AMSTERDAM (AP) -- Lawyers for the U.S. heir of a Jewish art dealer who lost many paintings while fleeing the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands say she has settled with The Hague municipality on a valuable work by Jan Steen.

The lawyers say Marei von Saher will receive euro1 million ($1.4 million) and donate her share in the painting "The Marriage of Tobias and Sarah" to a Hague museum.

The piece has an unusual history: it was cut in two before the war and painstakingly restored in the 1990s -- before von Saher's claim to the larger part was established by the Dutch state in 2006.

The painting will be displayed at the Museum Bredius in memory of von Saher's father-in-law, Jacques Goudstikker.

City spokeswoman Esther Andoetoe confirmed the settlement Monday.

[Associated Press]

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