A Stolen Masterpiece at a Bus Stop: The Unexpected Recovery of Titian’s “Rest on the Flight into Egypt”

Titian’s “Rest on the Flight into Egypt” was discovered at a bus stop in 2002 after being stolen from an English country house in 1995. The painting, part of a noble British family’s collection, had remained in their possession until its theft. It was then sold by Charles Hill, a former Scotland Yard detective, who found it in a shopping bag at a bus stop in west London.

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. 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 continues to surprise experts and captivate the public, with similar instances of stolen art being found in unexpected locations like trash bags or Ikea bags.