1937 to 1939 - Eugenia Flees Before the War
1937-1939 (Eugenia Flees Before the War) - Before the outbreak of World War Two, Eugenia begins to periodically ship artworks from her collection back to the United States before she eventually returned to the U.S., avoiding the turmoil of the War. Many of these artworks ended up in New York City while others found there way to Rome, Georgia where Eugenia's family resided. A portion of her once vast collection can still be seen at Berry College's Martha Berry Museum at Oak Hill (named after Eugenia's sister). There is a curious account of a young Nazi soldier personally taking the Cortona as well as other paintings from the castle to Rome (after supposedly realizing that they were being vandalized) and anonymously depositing them at Villa Borghese where they were then taken to the Roman villa of the Ruspoli before being shipped to the United States. Further research is needed to confirm this tale.