Spanish police have found a painting by the painter Francis Bacon that was stolen from the home of coppersmith Jose Capel in Madrid in 2015.
It is one of Capel’s five portraits, which is worth 5 million euros. Capelo was on friendly terms with the deceased Bacon. Three more stolen paintings were found in 2017.
Two people were arrested for their involvement in the theft, which helped the police locate the stolen painting. A total of 16 people have been arrested since 2015, including the person believed to have carried out the theft.
Five pieces of art were stolen in July 2015, and their value was estimated at 25 million euros. This is believed to be the biggest theft of contemporary art in Spain. Then the safe containing jewels and coins was also taken.
“Investigations are continuing to find other art pieces and to arrest those who own them. The focus is on Spanish citizens with ties to organized groups from Eastern Europe,” the police said.
Francis Bacon was born in Dublin in 1909 and became one of the most prominent artists of his time. He often visited Madrid, and he died of a heart attack in this city in 1992. He was 82 years old.
In 2013, three paintings by his friend and fellow artist Lucien Freud sold for $142 million in New York. At the time, these works were the most expensive ever sold at auction, Klix.ba reports.
