Romania blocks auction sale of famous El Greco painting, aims to recover it

Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu announced that a team of lawyers contracted by the government managed to block the sale of the painting Saint Sebastian by the renowned artist El Greco, which is part of Romania’s heritage.

Ciolacu added that earlier this month, the government mandated lawyers to pursue the recovery through legal proceedings at the Paris Judicial Tribunal and the blocking of the auction scheduled for February 5 in New York by a "renowned auction house."

The stopped auction, the PM said, is only the first step in the recovery of the artwork.

The painting is listed on the website of the prestigious auction house Christie's New York, with an estimated value of between USD 7 million and USD 9 million.

"I congratulate the representatives of the Ministry of Finance managing this case and everyone involved in this interim victory, which gives us confidence that we will finally recover this invaluable painting after decades. Saint Sebastian by El Greco is a unique part of Romania’s cultural heritage and national art collection. The painting belonged to King Carol I, Romania’s first monarch, before being bequeathed to the Romanian Crown upon his death in 1914. This artwork, along with other pieces, left Romania in 1947 and has never returned since," Ciolacu wrote on Facebook.

Christie's will hold the painting until February 28, during which time the Romanian state is pursuing legal action over the artwork, government sources told Profit.ro. However, Christie's has not officially halted the sale, instead specifying that it guarantees "a minimum sale price, having a direct financial interest in this lot." The auction house reportedly financed its participation in the sale through a third party.

Romania’s first monarch, King Carol I, who ascended the throne in 1866, began extensively acquiring artwork for the Royal Collection in 1879, with the goal of decorating royal palaces. With guidance from scholar and collector Felix Bamberg (1820-1893), the King developed a particular appreciation for Spanish painting.

Carol I owned several El Greco paintings, most of which had belonged to King Louis-Philippe of France (1773-1850). Today, the National Museum of Art of Romania holds three significant works by El Greco, all from the former Royal Collection.