A painting stolen from an Italian museum is found in England, but its new owner wants to keep it

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JILL LAWLESS
Updated 12:29 PM CDT, March 11, 2025

LONDON (AP) — A 16th-century painting stolen more than 50 years ago has been found — and is now at the center of a custody battle between a widow in England and a small Italian museum.

“Madonna and Child” by Antonio Solario was taken in 1973 from the civic museum in the town of Belluno in the Dolomite mountains of northern Italy. Sometime later it was bought by Baron de Dozsa and taken to his Tudor manor house in eastern England, according to Christopher Marinello, a lawyer who specializes in recovering stolen and looted artworks.

It is now in the possession of Barbara de Dozsa, the late baron’s ex-wife, though it remains on the database of stolen art maintained by the international police organization Interpol.

Marinello has vowed to return the painting to Belluno, where his family has roots.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/italy-stolen-painting-solario-found-england-c17aae59f74a89b332106cb0485f5057

[GiqueCee]

1. So, lemme get this straight...

... The late baron bought a painting, apparently without questioning its lack of provenance, and brought it to sunny old England. His widow, even when confronted with the fact that it was stolen, and even though she didn't like it, and even though she never hung it, doesn't want to return it to its rightful owners.
So what we're seeing is another repulsive example of inherited privilege rearing its ugly head to justify receiving stolen property because, HEY! I'm English aristocracy, however faded, and you're not, so fuck off!
Sorry, Barbie, but that shit ain't gonna fly. Give the damned thing back, and be glad you're not charged with being an accessory after the fact in an open-and-shut case of grand larceny.
It is sooo like the rich.

[sumus]

2. You don't understand

You don’t understand, I’m rich. Do you think Donald or Elon would give the painting back? Of course they wouldn’t. I’m rich and we live by different rules.