A stolen painting by Venetian master Titian, "Rest on the Flight into Egypt," has been sold for a record-breaking 17.6 million pounds at a London auction. The artwork, created by Titian at age 20 in 1510, was stolen from Longleat House in Wiltshire in 1995. Miraculously, it was recovered seven years later, found without its frame in a simple plastic bag.
According to the auctioneers, this sale marks a new world auction record for Titian's work. The current owner of Longleat, Lord Bath (who inherited the estate in 2020), described the painting's journey as having an "extraordinary history."
Speaking ahead of the sale, he told BBC, "We have a considerable long-term investment strategy at Longleat and have decided to sell this asset to further this agenda at a time when the market for paintings of such unique rarity is so strong."
The painting depicts a tender scene: Mary cradling Jesus with Joseph gazing upon them. Measuring two feet wide (60cm) and painted on wood, the artwork has a rich past.
Over the centuries, it has graced the collections of prominent figures like Austrian Emperor Joseph II and even hung in Vienna's Belvedere Palace. French troops, however, looted the piece in 1809 for Napoleon's museum. After changing hands through a Scottish landowner, it was ultimately acquired by the 4th Marquess of Bath at a Christie's auction in 1878.
Tragically, the artwork was stolen in 1995 but recovered in 2002, thanks to a detective's efforts. This upcoming auction marks a significant event, as Christie's department head, Andrew Fletcher, calls it the most important Titian to hit the market in a generation. He highlights the groundbreaking use of colour and depiction of figures within nature, solidifying Titian's place as a Western art giant. With a pre-auction estimate of 15-20 million pounds, excitement surrounds this historic piece.
