Artwork by Antonio Solario, taken from an Italian museum in 1973, resurfaces in Britain but remains in private hands
A 16th-century painting of the Madonna and Child, stolen from a museum in northern Italy more than fifty years ago, has reappeared in Britain—but the woman who possesses it in Norfolk refuses to return it, despite it being listed on international stolen art databases.
The artwork, by Italian painter Antonio Solario, was part of the collection at the Civic Museum of Belluno until it was taken in a 1973 heist. Some stolen pieces were later recovered in Austria, but the Madonna and Child ended up in the hands of Barbara De Dozsa, whose late husband, Baron de Dozsa, purchased it that same year, claiming to have done so in good faith. The couple kept it in their historic Norfolk residence, East Barsham Manor, once favoured by Henry VIII.
An attempt to auction the painting in 2017 led to its identification by museum officials in Belluno, confirming its status as stolen. However, procedural delays—exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic—meant that British authorities eventually returned the painting to De Dozsa in 2020, as Italian officials had not provided the necessary legal documents in time.
Art lawyer Christopher Marinello, who specialises in recovering looted artworks, has urged De Dozsa to return the piece voluntarily, arguing that it rightfully belongs to the people of Belluno. She has resisted, citing the Limitation Act 1980, which allows ownership to be transferred if stolen goods were acquired unknowingly and retained for more than six years.
The British police maintain that De Dozsa has not committed a crime and regard the matter as a civil dispute. However, experts stress that no reputable auction house would handle the painting, as it remains on Interpol’s and the Italian Carabinieri’s “most wanted” lists.
Negotiations to resolve the issue stalled when De Dozsa allegedly refused an offer to cover legal and storage costs, instead demanding the painting’s full market value—estimated between £60,000 and £80,000. Marinello has warned that if the painting were ever taken to Italy, it would be immediately seized by authorities.
