The Venetian Master: How a Stolen Titian Painting Was Discovered in a Bus Stop and Sold for £17.5 Million at Christie’s

The Venetian Old Master, Titian’s “Rest on the Flight into Egypt,” was discovered at a bus stop in 2002 after a tip-off. The painting had been stolen from an English country house, Longleat, in 1995 and remained in the family’s possession until its theft. Charles Hill, a former Scotland Yard detective, found the painting in a shopping bag at the bus stop and offered a £100,000 reward for information leading to its recovery. Despite initial reports valuing the painting at £5 million, it exceeded expectations with its recent sale at Christie’s for £17.5 million.

The sale of this early work by Titian set a record high price and marked a significant moment in the art world. The Titian painting was part of a noble British family’s collection and had been stolen along with two other missing works. It is fascinating how recovered stolen art continues to surprise experts and captivate the public, often being found in unexpected locations like trash bags or Ikea bags. The world of art theft and recovery is indeed full of mysteries.