Art Institute of Chicago allowed to keep 1916 Egon Schiele drawing

The Art Institute of Chicago is being allowed to keep a drawing that prosecutors believe was stolen by Nazis.

A New York judge previously ordered the art to surrender a 1916 drawing by Egon Schiele stolen from Fritz Grunbaum — a Jewish art collector.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office had ordered it to be seized so it could be returned to Grunbaum's family. However, an appellate court panel of judges ruled that the judge and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office inappropriately cited a penal law to seize the drawing.

In their ruling, the judges said the court and district attorney's office relied on a criminal statute for stealing when the case focuses more on a civil matter for deciding ownership.

The Art Institute had argued it had been sold the art by Grunbaum's sister-in-law in law in 1966 and told the New York Times the matter belongs in civil court.