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The Arts Intel Report

Reclaimed: A Family Painting

Isaac Blessing Jacob, painted by Johann Carl Loth in the 17th century.

Oct 20, 2023 – Mar 3, 2024
2701 N Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA

Countless Jewish families lost their most prized heirlooms to Nazi looting. Stolen from the Blochs of Czechoslovakia was a priceless Baroque painting by Johann Carl Loth; the family’s descendants have heroically spent the past 100 years hunting it down. The Skirball Cultural Center’s newest exhibition re-creates the Bloch dining room in celebration of their reclaimed collection of pre-war art and furniture. Although a painful tale, it’s a heartfelt story of perseverance across generations. —Lucy Horowitz

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth H. Scholtz, daughter of Hedy Shenk, granddaughter of Johann and Lisbeth Bloch