$22 Million Painting Found at London Bus Stop Sells After Theft

A Christie’s curator displayed Titian’s “Rest on the Flight into Egypt,” which was among several works stolen from an English country house in 1995. The Venetian Old Master’s painting was discovered at a bus stop in 2002 after a tip-off, leading to its return. The sale of this early work by Titian set a record high price of £17.5 million, marking a significant moment in the art world.

The painting, part of a noble British family’s collection, had been stolen from their country house, Longleat, along with two other missing works. It remained in the family’s possession until its theft in 1995. Recovered in 2002 by Charles Hill, a former Scotland Yard detective, the painting was found in a shopping bag at a bus stop in west London. Hill offered a £100,000 reward for information leading to its recovery, highlighting the challenges of selling famous stolen artwork.

Despite initial reports valuing the painting at £5 million, the recent sale exceeded expectations with Christie’s estimating a price range of £15 million to £25 million. The recovery of stolen art, such as the Titian painting, continues to surprise experts and captivate the public. Similar instances of stolen art being found in unexpected locations, like a trash bag or an Ikea bag, shed light on the fascinating and sometimes mysterious world of art theft and recovery.