Judge: Nazi-looted painting should return to OU
An Oklahoma City federal judge has denied a French woman's attempt to keep a Nazi-stolen painting out of a Norman art museum.
U.S. District Judge Joe Heat on said efforts by Leone Meyer, 81, to keep the painting in France would violate her 2016 settlement with the University of Oklahoma.
During a Friday court hearing, Heat on ruled Meyer is still legally bound to follow the settlement. He ordered her to stop litigating the case in France.
“It does seem to me the result of this case is pretty cl ear,” Heaton said. “I find Ms. Meyer's position here pretty incredible.”
Meyer, of Paris, agreed wit hO U in 2016 to share the 1886 painting “Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep” by Camille Pissarro. Meyer's family lost the artwork to Nazi looting during World War II.
The painting is to rotate between the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and OU's Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman.
“We are thankful for the court' s issuance of this cease and desist, supporting OU's position in the case,” OU President Joseph Harroz, Jr. said in a statement. “The ability to view a painting with such important and deep historical significance presents a tremendous educational o pp ortunity for OU students and museum visitors.”
“Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep” has been on display since 2016 at the Musee d' Orsay, where Meyer wishes to donate the artwork permanently. The settlement dictates the painting spend three years in the Fred Jones Museum, starting July 16.
Clara Weitzenhoffer, the widow of Oklahoma oil man Aaron Weitzenhoffer, donated the painting in 2000 to the Norman museum.
Meyer filed a court summons Oct. 19 in the District Court of Paris, arguing a recent French Supreme Court ruling changed the country' s policy on art restitution. The French Supreme Court ruled this year that subsequent owners of Nazi-stolen artwork cannot claim legal ownership, even if they purchased it in good faith.
She also asked the painting not be transported to Norman until the legal dispute is resolved.
The District Court of Paris set a hearing date for Dec .8. OU's legal counsel said the university shouldn' t have to participate.
OU's attorneys argued that courts in France and Oklahoma have already ruled the settlement was final, regardless of whether French l aw changes afterward.
“When you make a deal, you stick with it,” attorney Michael Avery said during Thursday's hearing.
Oklahoma attorneys representing Meyer said Heaton shouldn't block the case from playing out in France. Attorney Andy Lester said to do so could offend the sovereignty of the French court system to decide cases based on the country's laws.
“This is about French public policy over a French citizen and a piece of property in France ,” Lester said during the hearing.
But the judge ruled the settlement still stands, as it has since he approved the original terms in 2016.
“I justin general see nothing… that would suggest I should decline to enforce a settlement to which I retain jurisdiction,” Heaton said.
The case has drawn national attention since Meyer called OU to court in October.
The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany criticized the university. Director of Research Wesley A. Fisher said rotating the painting “by definition is not restitution.”
The American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Art Museum Directors supported OU. Presidents of both organizations issued a letter wishing that“future potential consensual resolutions to Nazi-era claims will not be negatively affected by the current proceedings.”