The National Police recovers ‘La Chata’, by Sorolla, which disappeared in the 70s, in the Liria Palace of the Casa de Alba

The National Police has recovered the painting of Joaquín Sorolla ‘La Chata’ missing since the 70sas well as others two works by José María Carbonerowhich remained in the Liria Palace of the House of Alba. The three works belonged to the extinct Spanish Society of Friends of Art and would form part of the Cultural Heritage of the State.

As reported this Thursday by the National Police, The investigation began with the detection of a painting that was part of an exhibition promoted by the House of Alba, ‘Fashion in the House of Alba’.which took place from October 2023 to March 2024, and whose whereabouts were unknown.

The painting is a portrait of Isabel de Borbón y Borbón ‘La Chata’, painted by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, dated 1908measuring 151 x 100 centimeters.

The painting, among others, would have belonged to the extinct Spanish Society of Friends of Art’, a non-profit entity whose formal dissolution occurred at the beginning of the 80s of the last century and which, for almost the entire century, had as its objective the promotion of culture and the arts in Spain.

In this sense, the Police have highlighted that The foundation included prominent members of Spanish society of the time and, over the years, it nourished its heritage with different cultural assets that had been donated to it and that, as was confirmed once its statutes were consulted, in the event of dissolution, they should be incorporated into the State Heritage.

After documentation work through archives and libraries, the current Duke of Alba, Carlos Fitz-James Stuart Martínez de Irujo, was informed of these investigations, since his father had been an honorary member of the aforementioned Society.

The House of Alba verified that the aforementioned work had indeed been deposited in the Liria Palace since September 1973 and that the documents provided proved that its ownership was state.

In addition, two other oil paintings were located in the same circumstances – two paintings by José Moreno Carbonero, a portrait of Alfonso XIII and a portrait of Eduardo Dato – expressing their desire to make the necessary arrangements so that the three works, guarded as a deposit and that came from the same company, became available to the State, being deposited in the place determined by the Ministry of Culture..