Woman buys 2000-year-old bust for 33 euros: Roman artwork should now return to Germany
Created: 05/13/2022, 10:16 am
By: Janine Napirca
Once lost after being destroyed in World War II, an ancient bust is to be returned to the Pompejanum in Aschaffenburg.
© Imagebroker/Imago
A once lost bust is to return to the Pompejanum in Aschaffenburg in 2023.
An American bought the antique sculpture for the equivalent of 33 euros and wants to return it to the rightful owner.
The American Laura Young bought a marble bust in a second-hand store in Texas in 2018 for $35.
After the purchase, the curious American began to investigate.
According to a report by
Focus.de
, the auction house Sotheby's confirmed that the marble bust is 2000 years old and comes from ancient Rome.
Antique marble bust for 33 euros shows the son of one of Caesar's allies
It is said to be a portrait of Sextus Pompey.
The Roman military leader was the son of Pompey the Great - an ally of Julius Caesar.
According to Laura Young's Instagram post, the bust was first mentioned in 1883 in the art collection of King Ludwig I of Bavaria.
He had a true-to-scale model of a house from Pompeii built in Aschaffenburg and named it Pompejanum.
US soldier allegedly stole €33 bust from Nazis after WWII
In January 1944, the Allies attacked Aschaffenburg and severely damaged the Pompejanum.
Although it was restored from 1960 and reopened as a museum in 1994, the bust remained missing.
It is believed that a US soldier brought them to Texas, after which Laura Young discovered them in a thrift store in 2018.
Finds that are thousands of years old are becoming public again and again, for example an antique snack bar was discovered in Pompeii.
The ancient bust from Aschaffenburg, once lost, is to be returned to the Pompejanum
Because Laura Young wanted to find the rightful owner in order to return the ancient marble bust, she informed the German government.
The bust remains on display for the public at the San Antonio Museum of Art in Texas until 2023.
After that it will be returned to the Pompejanum in Aschaffenburg.
The controversial Hindenburg bust also experienced a change of location.
My almost 4 year relationship with a 2000 year old Roman portrait head that belonged to King Ludwig I of Bavaria and was looted by the Nazis by the Allies/Americans in World War II is finally over and I can FINALLY chat about him!
If you know me personally, you know I have a big mouth, so it was hard.
Laura Young
Yes, she bought it in Austin for $35, writes the lucky finder on her Instagram profile, and how glad she is that she can finally talk about her special find and return the antique bust to the rightful owner.
Then art lovers can finally marvel at the formerly lost, 2000-year-old marble bust from ancient Rome again in Aschaffenburg.
(jn)