Titan’s ‘Rest on the Flight into Egypt’ Returns to the Spotlight: A Christie’s Sale and the Recovery of Stolen Artwork

A Christie’s curator displayed Titian’s “Rest on the Flight into Egypt,” which was among several works stolen from an English country house in 1995. The Venetian Old Master’s painting was discovered at a bus stop in 2002 after a tip-off, leading to its return. The sale of this early work by Titian set a record high price of £17.5 million, marking a significant moment in the art world.

In 1995, the painting was part of a noble British family’s collection and remained in their possession until it was stolen from their country house, Longleat. The theft, along with two other missing works, sparked initial reports valuing the painting at £5 million. However, recent reports suggest that the sale exceeded expectations with Christie’s estimating a price range of £15 million to £25 million.

The recovery of stolen art continues to surprise experts and captivate the public. The Titian painting was found in a shopping bag at a bus stop in west London by Charles Hill, a former Scotland Yard detective who offered a £100,000 reward for information leading to its recovery. This case highlights the challenges of selling famous stolen artwork and sheds light on the fascinating and sometimes mysterious world of art theft and recovery.

Similar instances of stolen art being found in unexpected locations have also been reported, such as in trash bags or Ikea bags. These discoveries shed light on the complexities involved in recovering stolen artwork and underscore the importance of continued efforts to prevent such crimes from occurring in the first place.