A 16th-century painting, stolen from an Italian museum over fifty years ago, has resurfaced—not in a prestigious gallery or private collection, but at the heart of a contentious dispute between an English widow and a small museum in northern Italy.
The painting, Madonna and Child by Antonio Solario, was taken in 1973 from the civic museum in Belluno, a charming town in the Dolomites. Years later, it ended up in the English countryside, where it was purchased by the late Baron de Dozsa and displayed in his Tudor manor. Despite being listed in Interpol’s database of stolen artwork, the painting remains in the possession of Barbara de Dozsa, the Baron’s former wife.
Christopher Marinello, a lawyer specializing in art restitution, is determined to have the painting returned to Italy. His firm, Art Recovery International, has successfully helped reclaim works by prominent artists such as Henri Matisse and Henry Moore. However, this case has proven to be particularly challenging.
“I have a personal connection to this region, and I felt compelled to get involved,” Marinello told the Associated Press.
However, his efforts have so far been unsuccessful. De Dozsa, he claims, refuses to relinquish the painting, despite admitting that she “never really liked it” and does not display it because it “reminds her of her ex-husband.”
The case took another twist when the painting was flagged after de Dozsa attempted to auction it. The sale was blocked, and Norfolk Constabulary, the local police, intervened. However, instead of seizing the artwork, British authorities returned it to de Dozsa, stating that, since Italian authorities had not pursued the case for years, judicial guidance advised against further action.
For the town of Belluno, the painting’s value transcends its estimated market price. The highest sale for a Solario Madonna and Child painting occurred in 2007 at Sotheby’s Milan, fetching just over $100,000. Solario, a Renaissance artist who worked in Naples and Venice, created works that hold deep cultural significance to Belluno’s residents. For them, Madonna and Child is not just art—it’s an essential part of their heritage.
Now, the widow, the lawyer, and the town are at an impasse. Whether the painting will return to Belluno or remain in England will depend on Marinello’s ongoing legal efforts.
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