Cranach painting lost in World War II returned to Germany's Dresden

A painting by 16th century Old Master Lucas Cranach the Elder that had been missing since the end of World War II has been returned to a museum in the eastern German city of Dresden.

The painting, a small portrait depicting Elector Frederick III of Saxony, was in private ownership in France, the Dresden State Art Collections (SKD) said on Thursday.

When its provenance was checked at an auction house, it emerged that it had once belonged to the SKD’s collection. 

The portrait's previous owners and the Museis Saxonicis Usui – Friends of the Dresden State Art Collections association helped to return the painting to its original home.

It is now on display in a special exhibition on the monarch - known as Frederick the Wise - in Dresden's Royal Palace.

Following the exhibition, the work will be on permanent display at the Dresden Gallery of Old Masters.

The SKD holds the world’s largest collection of Cranach works, with 67 pieces.

Some 18 were lost during World War II, with seven having since returned to the Saxon capital.

In total, the war losses of the Dresden Picture Gallery amount to around 500 works.

Dresden is one of Germany's artistic hubs. The city was home to the famous Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich, while Canaletto painted panoramic views of the city in the 18th century.

Gerhard Richter, one of the world's most famous contemporary artists, was born in the city in 1932.