In a March 17 ceremony at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, U.S. Ambassador Paul Jones and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and National Heritage Piotr Gliński marked the return of Lizinka Aimee Zoe de Mirbel’s miniature painting Portrait of a Lady to Poland. Registered as an object of cultural heritage, the historic painting was stolen by the Nazis during World War II. The painting was recovered thanks to close collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and the Federal Bureau of Investigation after the painting resurfaced in the United States. Portrait of a Lady will now become a part of the collection of the National Museum in Wrocław.
The repatriation of Portrait of a Lady is the latest example in recent years of exceptional law enforcement cooperation leading to the recovery of priceless Polish art and artifacts. The United States looks forward to continuing to work with Poland to preserve its rich cultural patrimony.
