FX.co ★ 7 stolen art masterpieces

Nefertiti Bust

The most prominent work of ancient Egyptian art, the Nefertiti bust, was found on December 6, 1912, at the excavations of the ancient city of Akhetaton. In 1913 it was brought to Germany. The artifact was kept by James Simon, a major German financier. In 1920, the bust was given to the Near East Museum in Berlin. In 1924, the masterpiece was first shown on the special exhibition designed for the Egyptian collection. The Nefertiti bust officially belongs to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. Nonetheless, the Egyptian authorities constantly demand the return of the artifact.

Tutankhamun Bust

The tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun was discovered by archaeologists Howard Carter and Herbert Carnarvon in 1922. In 1985, the artifact was stored in a private collection and was not auctioned. In the 60s of the 20th century, the bust was part of the collection of German aristocrat and collector Wilhelm von Thurn und Taxis. In July 2019, the Tutankhamun bust was sold at Christie's auction in London. An unknown buyer spent almost $6 million on the famous masterpiece. The Egyptian authorities objected as they had long demanded the return of artifacts to its homeland.

Elgin Marbles

This artifact is a part of the fabulous collection of ancient Greek art and part of the Acropolis of Athens. It was shipped by Lord Elgin to England in the early 19th century. Presently, the masterpiece is kept in the British Museum. In 1816, the Museum bought out the artifact from Elgin for 35,000 pounds. The Greek authorities have long tried to return the Parthenon marbles. The debates between the museum and the greeks about the fate of the marbles resumed after the opening of the Acropolis Museum in Greece in 2000.

Euphronios Krater

One of the most eminent ancient Greek red-figure vases the Euphronios Krater has been kept at the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York since 1972. However, in 2000, it turned out that the artifact was illegally taken out of Italy. The Euphronios Krater, the most recognizable exhibit, was repatriated to Italy as a result of the agreement between museums after the two-year endless disputes. In 2009, the artifact was given for permanent storage in the collection of the National Etruscan Museum. This piece of art is still considered one of the best examples of ancient vase painting. This is the only fully preserved Euphonious' work.

Priam's Treasure

The discovery of Priam's Treasure made by Heinrich Schliemann on May 31, 1873, at the excavations of Troy became a sensation in archaeological society. Priam's Treasure named after ancient king Priam was in a silver two-handed vessel and included more than 10,000 items: a thousand gold beads, earrings of different shapes, rings, bracelets, two gold tiaras, and a massive gold bowl. Heinrich feared confiscation of the treasure and took it to Athens and later to Germany. At the end of World War Two, it was taken to the USSR. In 1996, Priam's Treasure was exhibited in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.

Kohinoor Diamond

Nowadays Kohinoor diamond of 105 carats is in the crown of Queen Elizabeth II. Kohinoor is one of the largest diamonds. Its history dates back to 1300. The diamond has had many owners. Remarkably, for some time, the diamond was believed to have brought misfortune. In 1851 it was shown in London, and a year later it was re-cut in Amsterdam. The weight of the stone decreased from 191 to 108.9 carats. Presently, the artifact is stored in the Tower of London. In December 2015, some Indian citizens planned to file a claim for the return of the diamond as they declared it was illegally taken from the country.

Chinese Bronze Figurines

These two Chinese figurines of the Qing dynasty were sold at Christie's auction sparking China’s protests. Both art objects were part of Yves Saint Laurent's collection. Bronze sculptures in the form of rat's and rabbit's heads cost an anonymous buyer 15 million 745 thousand euros each. These artifacts were taken from China about 150 years ago. Nevertheless, five bronze statues of the Qing Era – a monkey, a bull, a tiger, a horse, and a pig were returned to their homeland. They are exhibited in Beijing. In recent years, more and more art masterpieces from China are auctioned at Christie's.