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"The Port of La Rochelle" by Signac returns to Nancy: itinerary of a stolen painting

2021-02-14T19:22:17.403Z


The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy has just recovered one of his paintings stolen in 2018. After an expedition to Ukraine, this oil on


The nerve of the criminals still amazes the judicial authorities.

On May 23, 2018, in broad daylight, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle) noticed the theft of one of his most precious paintings.

“The Port of La Rochelle”, by Paul Signac, dating from 1915 and estimated at 1.5 million euros.

This 46 cm x 55 cm canvas had been carefully cut with a cutter, detached from its frame and simply rolled up under a raincoat.

“What surprised us was the lack of a sophisticated process.

It was a very simple flight.

On the video surveillance, we recognize the three alleged perpetrators.

Despite the headgear, they acted with their faces uncovered.

They entered by the main door and left by this same door, explains the public prosecutor of Nancy, François Pérain.

It was not until a year later, in April 2019, that the painting was located… 2,000 km from Lorraine, in Ukraine.

“During a search of a Ukrainian's home in Kiev in connection with a murder case, this man self-reported that there was this painting in a cupboard.

As he knew his value, he feared that he would be thrown away, ”continues the prosecutor.

After authentication, it is indeed the one that had been stolen from Place Stanislas.

VIDEO.

Signac painting stolen in France was found in Ukraine

The investigations identify a gang of criminals made up of two other men and a woman "who had committed in 2017 and 2018 in France several thefts of works, especially during auctions in the Paris region", specifies François Pérain.

The alleged mastermind is an inmate incarcerated in Vienna, Austria, “an art lover with extensive knowledge.

He even indicated that he found the works of art in the Nancy museum to be of very high quality ”.

Handed over to the French authorities, as part of a European arrest warrant, he has been in detention since June 2020 at the Nancy-Maxéville penitentiary center but "he denies the facts", says the prosecutor.

Two people always wanted

Even if the investigation is not over (two members of this gang are still wanted), the painting has returned home.

This Friday, the city of Nancy was able to officially recover it during a restitution ceremony organized in town hall, in the presence of the Ukrainian Ambassador to France.

The investigating judge proceeded to lift the seals.

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"A major and emblematic work of the Nancy museum", according to the mayor, Mathieu Klein.

On the other hand, before finding the picture rails of the museum, it will have to be restored, given the conditions in which the canvas was kept.

Since this theft, “security measures have been taken to strengthen the protection of the establishment.

We are devoting more resources to ensure that this situation does not happen again, ”wants to reassure the mayor.

“This restitution is also a wink for those who want to go through the doors of museums again,” emphasizes Mathieu Klein.

It is great news to see him return during this period.

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Source: leparis

All news articles on 2021-02-14

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