Recovering Lost Italian Art

8 works of stolen Italian art have been returned to Italy by Christie’s auction house. This marks a success for Rome’s continued effort to recover pieces that were illegally obtained and trafficked such as an Etruscan terracotta mask that experts have dated to between the 6th and the 5th century BC and a marble fragment from a sarcophagus which was identified as having been stolen after 1966.

. Christie’s voluntarily returned them at a ceremony at the Italian embassy in London on Tuesday, which was attended by the country’s culture minister Alberto Bonisoli who stated that “The restitution confirms the effectiveness of the collaboration between our country and the giants of the art market such as Christie’s in the fight against illegal trafficking of works of art.”  Thankfully, only a small portion of work that passes through Christie’s doors (0.8%) is withdrawn from the sale process as a result of such investigation.

The cooperation was described as historic” by the embassy and an "important milestone in the protection of Italian cultural heritage.”

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning how the Italian authorities are Recovering Lost Italian Art! Planning a trip to see these pieces in person? Our culturally immersive group classes and native instructors are sure to prepare you to enjoy the exhibits to the fullest. Click below to learn more!