A website has been launched by the German pensioner found to be in possession of more than 1,280 hoarded works of art.
Lawyers for Cornelius Gurlitt, 81, claim he is the rightful owner of the most of the works discovered in his apartment in Munich.
The website (www.gurlitt.info) says that Gurlitt was not aware that the works he inherited from his father could be deemed looted art.
"Dear ladies and gentleman, dear lovers of art," says an introductory statement signed by the collector himself. "Many things have happened in the past weeks and months, and are still happening. I only wanted to live with my pictures, in peace and quiet."
The discovery was made in 2011 but made public only in November 2013. Last week, 60 more pieces in Gurlitt’s possession were taken from a dilapidated little house in Salzburg, Austria, (pictured) including work by Picasso, Monet and Rousseau.
Many of the works may have been owned by Jewish collectors before WWII. While so far only six claimants have come forward, calls from experts have been made for the publication of the full details of the Salzburg hoard.
Gurlitt’s collection in Munich was seized after prosecutors broke into his flat. The pensioner’s lawyers have filed a complaint about how the raid was conducted. If successful, it is possible that the art works would have to be returned to Gurlitt.
Since November, a taskforce of six experts has been mandated to study their works and trace their origins.
The German government is considering legal reform over looted artworks. Presently, claims from former owners expire 30 years after the property was taken from them.
In December Gurlitt, who suffers from a heart condition, was taken to an unidentified hospital. He is believed to remain in hospital, but his location has not been disclosed.
