Italian Landscape Painting Recovered and Returned to Oxford’s Christ Church Picture Gallery from Romania
A 17th-century Italian landscape by Salvator Rosa, “A Rocky Coast, with Soldiers Studying a Plan,” stolen from Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford, has been discovered in Romania and returned. The painting, dating from the 1640s, was handed over to Romanian authorities and recovered by Thames Valley Police and the museum’s curator, Jacqueline Thalmann. Police are seeking information on two other stolen paintings, Anthony van Dyck’s “A Soldier on Horseback” and Annibale Carracci’s “A Boy Drinking.” The three works, valued at £10 million, had been on public display since 1768. The man in possession of the Rosa painting contacted Romanian police to return it, but had already sold the other two paintings. Detective Chief Inspector James Mather stated that the paintings could now be anywhere in Europe. Collaboration with Romanian authorities, Eurojust, and Europol is underway to gather more information, including forensic analysis of the returned painting.
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Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.