NEW ORLEANS — 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 Wednesday announced the repatriation of a Claude Monet pastel on paper, “Bord de Mer.” The Nazis looted the artwork 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, according to the FBI.
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.”
The FBI’s work on this case is ongoing. In addition to the Monet, several other pieces of artwork were stolen from the Parlagi family in 1940. A signed Paul Signac watercolor from 1903, titled "Seine in Paris (Pont de Grenelle)", was sold to the same Nazi art dealer and is still missing today. As it is common for titles of stolen art to change over time, and due to the history of the Signac watercolor, it is very likely that it may be known under a different title today.
To assist in the search for the stolen Signac, the piece has been entered into the FBI’s National Stolen Art File (NSAF) catalog. The NSAF is a database of stolen art and cultural property. Stolen objects are submitted for entry to the NSAF by law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
If you believe you have information about the stolen Signac, you are encouraged to contact the FBI’s Art Crime Program or FBI New York at email NYArtCrime@fbi.gov. You may also submit online to tips.fbi.gov, call 1-800-CALL FBI (800-225-5324), or contact your nearest local FBI field office or U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
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