THE ARCHIVE BY COUNTRY
Published reports from our archive, newest first.
A country may refer to the theft, recovery, return or legal proceedings. A case can be linked to more than one country.
189 reports · Page 5 / 9
Met delivers a temple strut and Shiva sculpture to Nepal — artwork or case documentation from the linked image source. Image source ↗
The Met announced delivery to Nepal of a thirteenth-century Salabhinka temple strut and a tenth-century Shiva sculpture. Museum research prompted the return; Shiva’s ownership transfer had been signed in 2021.
The FBI returned Ammi Phillips’s 1820s portraits of Derrick Wynkoop and Ann Eltinge to Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz. The paintings were stolen in February 1972. A record of their appearance at auction helped investigators trace them. The FBI image shows the portrait of Ann Eltinge.
Getty announced that Woman-Ochre (1954–1955) would be exhibited from 7 June after extensive conservation. Cut from its frame at the University of Arizona Museum of Art in 1985, it was recovered and returned to that museum in August 2017 after an estate-sale purchase in New Mexico. This 2022 report concerns restoration and renewed public display, not a new recovery.
Inigo Philbrick sentenced to seven years in art-finance fraud — artwork or case documentation from the linked image source. Image source ↗
Federal prosecutors announced an eighty-four-month sentence in a fraud involving more than $86 million. The case concerned false ownership and financing representations involving artworks by Basquiat, Wool and Stingel, not forged paintings.
Christie’s withdrew the Greek vase and Roman cavalry helmet from its April 2022 antiquities sale after a researcher raised possible links to dealers known to have traded illicit antiquities. Photo shows the Nolan amphora.
A federal appeals court upheld the dismissal of JN Contemporary Art’s suit. It held that Phillips could invoke the contract’s force majeure clause to cancel its guaranteed sale of Rudolf Stingel’s Untitled (2009) following pandemic restrictions. Photo shows Phillips in New York.
Harrington forgery evidence; US Department of Justice / The Art Newspaper Image source ↗
Jason Harrington received 36 months in prison after admitting sales of forged art attributed to Richard Hambleton. Sales exceeded $1 million.
Untitled (It was the Moment…), alleged Pettibon forgery illustrated in the indictment announcement. US Department of Justice. Image source ↗
A federal indictment accused Christian Rosa Weinberger of selling purported Raymond Pettibon Wave Series paintings with fake authenticity certificates. He remained at large at publication. These were allegations in an indictment, not a finding of guilt.
The Gilgamesh Dream Tablet; AP / The Guardian Image source ↗
The US Justice Department announced the return of the cuneiform tablet, which entered the US unlawfully and was marketed using false provenance.
Denver transfers ownership of Uma-Maheshvaramurti to Nepal — artwork or case documentation from the linked image source. Image source ↗
Denver Art Museum transferred ownership of the tenth-century stone sculpture to Nepalese representatives. The museum described discussions with Nepal and preparations for the work’s journey home, rather than a new theft.
Sotheby’s sued a Miami couple over furniture they consigned as works by Diego Giacometti. The auction house alleged multiple pieces were inauthentic and sought to recover money it had paid or refunded. Photo shows Sotheby’s in New York.
A seven-foot bronze by Kwan Wu depicting an Osage woman was taken from the François Chouteau and Native American Heritage Fountain site. The work had been installed in 2020 as part of a group about the city’s early history. Image: the foundation responsible for the memorial.
A federal court dismissed the Safani Gallery’s suit against Italy after New York authorities seized an ancient bust of Alexander the Great in 2018. The dismissal concerned sovereign immunity and left ownership unresolved at that stage.
Angel Pereda charged over purported Basquiat and Haring forgeries — artwork or case documentation from the linked image source. Image source ↗
Federal prosecutors announced Pereda’s arrest over alleged offers of forged artworks and false provenance records. This July 2021 release records accusations, not a conviction; it includes photographs of the disputed objects.
The stolen kinetic sculpture by Jeffrey Laudenslager. Photo courtesy of the artist / The Coast News. Image source ↗
Artist Jeffrey Laudenslager offered $1,000 for information leading to recovery of a titanium and stainless-steel kinetic sculpture stolen from his driveway on 16 May 2021. He reported the theft to the sheriff’s department. Current reward validity is unconfirmed.
A state court permanently barred Spanierman Gallery from showing a digitally altered image of Pat Lipsky’s Bright Music II. Lipsky brought the case under New York’s Artist Authorship Rights Act.
FBI and Dallas Museum of Art representatives with the stele, 2 March 2021. Photo: Dallas Museum of Art. Image source ↗
The FBI and Dallas Museum of Art announced the return of the Stele of Lakshmi-Narayana to Nepal. The stone sculpture, on loan from a private collection, was transported to Washington and returned to Nepalese government custody on 5 March 2021 with the lender’s cooperation.
The Allentown Art Museum displayed Portrait of a Young Woman as a work by Rembrandt after conservation and scientific examination. The 1632 portrait had previously been assigned to his studio.
Winter by Gari Melchers was returned on 15 October to the Mosse Foundation, representing the heirs of Rudolf Mosse's family. The Nazis looted it in Berlin in 1933. The FBI recovered it from the Arkell Museum in September 2019; the museum relinquished its rights. Authorities reported no evidence that collector Bartlett Arkell knew of the unlawful taking.
Nicole Charbonnet, Black No. 5; FBI Image source ↗
Six paintings were stolen around 26 March 2019 during transport from Santa Fe to Louisiana. The FBI offered up to $8,000 for information leading to a conviction. Its poster includes works by Nicole Charbonnet. Status reflects the October 2020 announcement, rather than a finding that all six remain missing today.
Belgian artist Christian Silvain reached confidential settlements ending his US copyright suits against Christie’s and Sotheby’s. The actions concerned their sales of works by Ye Yongqing that Silvain alleged imitated his paintings. Photo shows a Sotheby’s sign.
