Brought By Napoleon's Troops To Paris, Twice Stolen And Found At Bus Bus Stop: Titan's Painting Sells IDR 366 Billion

Titan's painting "The Rest on the Flight into Egypt". (Twitter/@ChristiesInc)

JAKARTA - The painting by Italian Renaisans maestro Titian, which was found in a plastic bag at the London bus stop, England, which was stolen twice, sold for IDR 360 billion in an auction earlier this month.

The painting "The Rest on the Flight into Egypt" is auctioned at Christie's London for an estimated price of 15 million - 25 million (Rp. 313,725,874,950 - Rp. 522,876,458,250). It finally sold for 17.5 million (Rp.366,013,520,775) The highest price ever achieved in the auction for an artist's work, Christie said in a statement on his website, reported by CNN July 10.

The painting depicts Jesus, Mary and Joseph resting on their journey to Egypt after learning thatnicity, the King of Culture, wanted to kill the young Christ.

Titian, whose real name is Tiziano Vecellio, made the work in the first decade of the 16th century, early in his career.

Measuring only 18.25 inches by 24.75 inches (46.2 centimeters x 62.9 centimeters), the painting is very small when compared to several large works that make Titian known in the future.

However, the oil paint work on this canvas has an extraordinary history.

After changing hands among various European aristocrats, the painting was looted by Napoleon's troops during France's occupation of Vienna, Austria in 1809 and taken to Paris, France

The painting was returned to Vienna in 1815 and moved back to a private collection before finally reaching the hands of John Alexander Thynne, 4th Marquess of Bath, in Wiltshire, England.

In 1995, the painting was stolen from Longleat, the home of Thynne descent and disappeared for seven years, before being found at a bus stop in London by art detective Charles Hill.

The auction results represent "respect for the perfect origin and the calm beauty of this great Titian early masterpiece, which is one of the most poetic products of the artist's youth," Orlando Rock, chairman of Christie's UK, said in the statement.

"This painting has captivated audience imaginations for more than half a billion and is undoubtedly going to continue," he added.

#AuctionUpdate A work last auctioned by Christie's in 1878, #Titian's early masterpiece ‘The Rest on the Flight into Egypt’ realised £17,560,000, achieving a #WorldAuctionRecord for the artist: https://t.co/z6AnSDIuMT pic.twitter.com/ZlxdaZ1tPK

— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) July 2, 2024

#AuctionUpdate A work last auctioned by Christie's in 1878, #Titian's early masterpiece ‘The Rest on the Flight into Egypt’ realised £17,560,000, achieving a #WorldAuctionRecord for the artist: https://t.co/z6AnSDIuMT pic.twitter.com/ZlxdaZ1tPK