Families, Museum Struggle Over Schiele

"Portrait Wally", a picture of his mistress by Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele, is one of two paintings caught in a tug-of-war between two families claiming they were stolen by Nazis and the current owner, Austria's Leopold Museum. The Museum of Modern Art, which had been exhibiting the paintings in New York was barred Wednesday from returning them to the Leopold until their provenance could be determined. The move by Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau stunned the art world, calling into question the exchange agreements that are the lifeblood of art museums worldwide.