<
 
 
 
 
×
>
You are viewing an archived web page, collected at the request of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) using Archive-It. This page was captured on 16:00:20 Dec 16, 2015, and is part of the UNESCO collection. The information on this web page may be out of date. See All versions of this archived page.
Loading media information hide Press release on restitution cases : UNESCO-CULTURE

Press release on restitution cases

Press release on restitution cases
  • The sales catalogue of Sotheby's New York on 3 November 2010
  • © Sotheby's/D.Rykner

Sotheby's New-York- Musée d'Orsay/ Canada - Bulgaria

1-Stolen Degas Painting retrieved right before auction at Sotheby's New York

On the 2nd of November 2010 Sotheby’s New York was supposed to auction the Blanchisseuses souffrant des dents ("Laundry Women with Toothache") by Impressionist master Edgar Degas. After it was discovered this painting is a stolen one, Sotheby’s New York removed it from the auction list. The Blanchisseuses souffrant des dents belongs to the Louvre museum in Paris, where it has been exhibited to the public for years. This is exactly how previous owner Sir Carle Dreyfus wanted it, as he donated his entire private collection to the Louvre in 1953, including the Blanchisseuses souffrant des dents. In 1960 the painting was stored at the Havre Museum in the north of France, where it would be stolen 13 years later and disappear ever since.

Up till now at least, with the painting featuring in Sotheby’s’ catalogue for the Impressionist sale of the 2nd of November 2010 in New York, carrying an estimated value of 350,000 to 450,000 USD. A member of the Havre Museum recognized the painting as he was browsing through the catalogue and immediately warned the French Ministry of Culture. When the latter alerted Sotheby’s NY, the painting was taken off the auction list.

The Blanchisseuses souffrant des dents never appeared in INTERPOL’s stolen works of art database, which might explain why it took so long for the painting to come to the surface. The theft is currently being reinvestigated by the French and US police services, cooperating via INTERPOL. The French Ministry of Culture will soon initiate negotiations with the owner who put the Degas up for sale, probably unaware of its illicit origin. Hopefully the Blanchisseuses souffrant des dents will soon be back where it belongs, for the public to enjoy freely.

 

2- Canada returns over 350 antique objects to Bulgaria

Click here for more information.

 

Contacts:e.planche@unesco.org
  • Source:UNESCO
  • 11-11-2010