Portrait of a Lady (Contessa Colleoni) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Portrait of a woman |
|
|---|---|
| Ladies portrait (Contessa Colleoni) | |
 |
|
| Dimensions | 119.5 cm (47.0 in) × 89 cm (35 in) |
The Portrait of a Lady, also known as Portrait of a Woman, is a famous painting. It was created by the artist Fra Galgario. The painting shows the Contessa Colleoni. This artwork was missing for a very long time, since 1945. In August 2025, it was found again. It was on display in a private home in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Contents
Discovering the Portrait of a Lady
This beautiful portrait was painted by an Italian artist named Fra Galgario. His real name was Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi. He lived from 1655 to 1743. The painting itself was made in the early 1700s. This makes it over 300 years old!
The Painting's Long and Mysterious History
The Portrait of a Lady has a very interesting past. It was once part of a large art collection. This collection belonged to a man named Jacques Goudstikker.
Lost During World War II
During World War II, many artworks were taken from their owners. In 1940, the Portrait of a Lady was taken from Jacques Goudstikker's collection. It ended up with a high-ranking official during the war. This official had an aide named Friedrich Kadgien. It is believed that Kadgien had this painting and another one.
After World War II ended, Kadgien left the country. He first went to Switzerland. Later, he moved to Brazil and then to Argentina. He passed away in 1978. He had two daughters. For many years, a Dutch newspaper, Algemeen Dagblad, tried to talk to his daughters. They wanted to learn more about their father and the missing artworks.
Found in Argentina: A Modern Mystery
In August 2025, the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper published an article. They had sent a reporter to a house in Argentina. The reporter found a house for sale online. Pictures of the house were on a real estate website. In one of these pictures, the missing Portrait of a Lady was clearly visible!
The family of Jacques Goudstikker, the original owner, is now working to get the painting back. When officials searched the house, the painting was gone. A tapestry was in its place. Officials promised to keep looking for it.
More Art Found
Another lost painting was also found recently. This was a still life painting by Abraham Mignon. A still life painting shows objects like fruit or flowers. This painting was seen in a social media post. The post was made by one of Kadgien's daughters.
.jpg)
