Salvator Rosa painting stolen from Oxford, recovered in Romania and returned to the UK

A painting estimated at EUR 2 million that was stolen from an Oxford university art gallery roughly four years ago was recovered in Romania and returned to the UK judicial authorities last month, the Romanian Police announced. According to the BBC, the 17th-century painting is Salvator Rosa's A Rocky Coast,with Soldiers Studying a Plan.

The artwork was stolen in March 2020, along with two other works of art that are still missing. According to the British publication, the three works are thought to be worth a total of GBP 10 million.

The man who had the Rosa painting reportedly contacted the Romanian Police and returned the artwork. According to the BBC, he sold on the other two artworks in the country. He has been treated as a witness in the case.

"On December 28, 2023, by order of the case prosecutor from the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Ilfov Court, the painting in question was ordered to be returned to the judicial authorities of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and, on March 26, 2024, the painting was returned to the judicial authorities of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland," reads the Romanian Police's press release.

The painting was recovered by Thames Valley Police and the gallery's curator, Jacqueline Thalmann, in Bucharest. According to Thalmann, the artwork is in good condition.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea)