Works by Monet, Picasso, Goya and Chagall will return to their place of origin in 2024 after being stolen or missing

Monet, Picasso, Goya o Chagall are some of the artists who own works that In 2024 they have returned to their place of origin after being stolen or missing, such as a half-length portrait of Ferdinand VII made by Goya and recovered by the Community of Madrid.

Among the works returned in 2024, as highlighted by the Hiscox art company, is ‘Bord de mer’ (1865) by Monet which was lost during World War II and was legitimately acquired in 1936 by the Austrian Parlagi family, who fled the country in 1938. In 1940, an art dealer from the Nazi regime acquired it, disappearing from sight until 2023. That year , reappeared in an art gallery in Houston (Texas) and was detected.

Its owner, Kevin Schlamp, was unaware of the entire history of this work of art and, after learning about it, he renounced his rights to be handed over to the heirs of the Parlagi family in 2024. Other works that have returned home have been ‘The head’ of Picasso and ‘Man in Prayer’ Marc Chagallsome paintings valued at 900,000 euros.

Both paintings were stolen fourteen years ago from an art collector in Tel Aviv. However, it was not until 2022 that alarm bells went off for researchers, who were informed that a resident of the city of Namur (Belgium) had put both paintings up for sale. From then on, an investigation made it possible to locate the suspect, who kept the paintings in the basement of his home in the city of Antwerp, along with a large sum of money.

Goya He is also one of the masters who has lost some work over time. During the War of Independence (1808-1814), a half-length portrait of Ferdinand VII, with an approximate value of between 15 and 20 million euros, disappeared as part of the French looting during this war.

After the war, it was recovered and given to the Duke of Wellington, but from then on, traces of it were lost. However, in March 2024, art appraiser Javier Gallego received a call from a lawyer whose client claimed to have the painting in his possession, as he had obtained it at a public and legitimate auction. The goal of its current owner is to exhibit the painting in Talavera for at least three years so that it can be visited.

In addition to the aforementioned works, the painting ‘In Praise of Makeup’ by Edgar Degas. After passing through several owners, in 1940 it was acquired by the president of Banco Sabadell, Joan Llonch Salas, and from this moment on it was lost. At the beginning of 2024, it was learned that the work was sold for only 926 euros – it is valued at 12 million -, as it was thought to be a forgery. The work was officially presented at the Ateneo de Madrid last May.

THE THEFT OF THE PORTRAITS OF FRANCIS BACON

Another of the works that have appeared in 2024 has been a portrait of Francis Baconwho gave five paintings to businessman José Capelo, who suffered a theft in 2015 of all the works valued at 30 million euros.

Over the years, the Heritage Brigade of the National Police was able to recover some of them, with the fourth of them recovered last May. However, the investigation is still open and the fifth of the portraits remains to be found.