Antonio Solario Madonna and Child

Stolen 16th Century Painting is Returned to Italian Museum 52 Years after Theft 

Belluno, Italy 21 July 2025:

Art Recovery International is pleased to announce the recovery of Antonio Solario’s Madonna and Child which was stolen from the Civic Museum of Belluno in 1973.

News that the Painting had surfaced in Britain went viral earlier this year after the owner, Barbara de Dozsa, attempted to sell the Painting at auction in the United Kingdom.  Baroness de Dozsa had acquired the painting from her deceased former husband, Baron de Dozsa, who allegedly bought the Painting in good faith in Austria in 1973 shortly after the theft.

In an effort to claim title to the Solario, Mrs. de Dozsa initially cited the UK Limitations Act of 1980 which states that a person who buys stolen goods can be recognised as the legal owner if the purchase was unconnected to the theft after more than six years.

“Nonsense” said Christopher A. Marinello, art lawyer and founder of Art Recovery International (“ARI”) who handled the recovery negotiations on a pro-bono basis.  “While the U.K. Limitations Act certainly supported her position, the fact that the Painting was listed on the Interpol and Carabinieri stolen art databases meant that the painting could never be sold, exhibited, or even transported without the risk of being seized”, Marinello said. 

However, after a slew of press coverage and months of self-contemplation (not to mention some gentle arm-twisting from Marinello), Mrs. de Dozsa eventually agreed to release the painting unconditionally to the Civic Museum of Belluno.  Marinello admits that “when it comes to returning stolen art and doing the right thing, I can be annoyingly persistent.  But ultimately, it was Barbara de Dozsa’s decision to make, and she chose wisely.  Her kindness has restored my faith in people who unknowingly come into possession of stolen or looted works of art.” These days, everyone is looking for a reward or finder’s fee.

ARI would like to thank Arte Generali who sponsored the recovery with a donation to cover the logistical costs connected with the restitution.  Without their support, this recovery would never have happened.  In our view, Arte Generali, founded in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, is not just a major fine art insurance company but a modern-day patron of the arts.

ARI would also like to thank The Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (Carabinieri TPC) for creating and maintaining their stolen art database. It is critical tool for due diligence and preventing the sale of stolen and looted works of art.

The Solario was formally returned today at a small ceremony at the Civic Museum of Belluno.

ENDS

IMAGES can be found in this Dropbox link below, including the Mayor of Belluno, Mr. Oscar Ugo De Pellegrin:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/a0w7ea93zq59oh32vs55w/ANTAp2ctEK7ukqLP9pywtpY?rlkey=x0k3df4so1wg6tmk83kdojya0&st=g9l9lq33&dl=0______________

Christopher A. Marinello, Esq.
Founder & CEO, Art Recovery International, LLC
chris@artrecovery.com
+44 (0)7702 206 913