Wesselhoft Enshrined

  The gentle and unassuming Representative Paul Wesselhoft has been properly honored in Oklahoma media for his diligent work to right a terrible wrong.
  Paul has successfully shamed David Boren and the regents of Oklahoma University into returning a masterpiece oil painting which Nazi German operatives stole from a Jewish family some 7 decades ago.
  Tulsa World's political cartoonist, Bruce Plante, depicts Wesselhoft as the 'knight in shining armor', rescuing the hostage artwork. Unfortunately, OU has wrongfully created several litho reproductions and sold them, keeping all that money. At last check, the OU campus is still trying to sell their remaining stock. It is also uncertain whether the official flagship university of our fine state will continue to violate international law by marketing illegal copies of the painting.
  At any rate. God bless Saint Wesselhoft, friend of the doubly victimized holocaust survivors.

Wesselhoft posted this announcement to social media:

OU PAINTING TO RETURN TO FRANCE!

The controversial painting at O.U. will be going back to France and the family whose painting was stolen by the Nazis in World War II.

This is a victory for the Oklahoma legislature who passed a unanimous Resolution last year requesting that the university return the painting to its rightful owner.

I wish the university administration had done the right and moral thing a couple of years ago when we pressed them to return the painting. However, today we consider this a significant victory and I want to give thanks for all of those who joined me in this crusade.

"I wish the university administration had done the right and moral thing a couple of years ago when we pressed them to return the painting." -Rep Paul Wesselhoft

On February 22nd, 2016, Léone Meyer, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Oklahoma Foundation reached a settlement agreement for the restitution of an oil on canvas painted by Camille Pissarro in 1886, entitled "La Bergère rentrant des moutons" (hereinafter referred to as the "La Bergère"). La Bergère is currently on display at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman, OK.

Restitution will be accomplished by the University of Oklahoma Foundation transferring La Bergère's title to Léone Meyer after the dismissal of the lawsuits.

SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

· Title to La Bergère will be transferred from the University of Oklahoma Foundation to Léone Meyer.

· The settlement agreement recognizes Léone Meyer's inheritance rights to La Bergère.

· This summer, La Bergère will be transferred to an art institution located in France for public display for five years. Thereafter, La Bergère will rotate for public display between the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of art and an art institution location in France. An agreed-upon label will accompany La Bergère during its public display detailing the history of La Bergère and its restitution.

· Terms of the agreement acknowledge Léone Meyer's family's prior ownership and looting of La Bergère, as well as the good faith acquisition of La Bergère by the Weitzenhoffer family, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma Foundation.

· Léone Meyer will gift La Bergère to an art institution located in France either during her lifetime or through her will.

· Rather than keep La Bergère privately, Léone Meyer chose to put it on public display so that the public could see the painting and, more importantly, learn about its history.