The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Art Crime Team, the New York and New Orleans Field Offices, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana today announced the repatriation of a Claude Monet pastel on paper, “Bord de Mer.” The artwork was looted by the Nazis during World War II, and the original owners and their heirs have spent decades searching for their belongings.
The investigation began in 2021 after the FBI received information from the Commission for Looted Art in Europe about the stolen Monet. The pastel, created around 1865, was purchased by the family at an Austrian art auction in 1936. It had been part of the Parlagi family’s collection before the Nazis seized it in 1940. After fleeing Austria in 1938, the Parlagis stored their belongings, which were later seized by the Gestapo. Eventually, the Monet was purchased at an auction by a Nazi art dealer and disappeared in 1941.
In 2023, the artwork was listed for sale at a Houston art gallery, prompting the FBI to act. Special Agents of the FBI’s Art Crime Team based in New York and New Orleans and NYPD Detectives from FBI New York’s Major Theft Task Force contacted the unsuspecting owners of the artwork, Dr. and Mrs. Kevin Schlamp, and explained its looted history. The Schlamps voluntarily surrendered the piece and relinquished their ownership rights. The Schlamp family’s cooperation was key to the successful resolution of this case, and their integrity in ensuring the pastel’s return is highly commendable.
With the help of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, a consent judgment was secured in May 2024. This judgment awarded full ownership of the Monet to the Parlagi heirs.
"We are immensely proud to have been able to recover this remarkable piece of art and bring it home to its rightful owners,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough. "I want to commend the work done by the FBI Art Crime Team and thank the Schlamp family for their cooperation in returning this significant artwork back to its rightful heirs. This moment brings to light not only the historical significance of this repatriation, but also the committed work of the FBI in cultural restitution and importance of our partnerships with organizations like The Commission for Looted Art in Europe. The FBI continues its commitment to returning stolen art and other objects of cultural and historical significance to the communities to which they belong.”
“We’re honored to have played a role in returning this stolen artwork to its rightful owners,” said James Dennehy, assistant director in charge of the FBI in New York City. “While this Monet is undoubtedly valuable, its true worth lies in what it represents to the Parlagi family. It’s a connection to their history, their loved ones, and a legacy that was nearly erased. The emotions tied to reclaiming something taken so brutally can’t be measured in dollars—it’s priceless.”
“We are proud to support the work of the Art Crime Team, especially in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of FBI New Orleans. “Nothing can excuse the hateful and heinous behavior of the past, but we are most grateful to the Schlamp family for their role in righting this wrong. We need and appreciate the ongoing support of the public and the art community at large to ensure there are more success stories like this in the future.”
Main Image: "Bord de Mer," Claude Monet, 1856. Pastel on paper. The Nazi-looted work was returned to the heirs of its original owners after it was missing for more than 80 years.(FBI)
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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