A significant event took place recently as three stolen church statues were repatriated to Czechia after being missing for 30 years. The artworks, which include two smaller statues of Saint Vitus and Saint Denis, along with a larger statue of Christ Salvator Mundi, were originally stolen in 1992.
Background of the Stolen Statues
The statue of Christ Salvator Mundi was housed in the Church of Saint Gotthard in the village of Krupá. The other two statues were taken from the Church of the Fourteen Holy Helpers in Abertamy, located in northwestern Czechia. This period witnessed rampant thefts from churches across the country, reminiscent of losses experienced during the Hussite period.
Details of the Repatriation
Laurence Gillery, an antiques dealer from Paris, owned the Christ Salvator Mundi statue for four years. She purchased it from a German dealer for CZK 50,000 (approximately €2,000). Unaware of its history, she displayed the statue in her shop, until police informed her of its stolen status.
- Statues Details:
- Saint Vitus: Stolen from the Church of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
- Saint Denis: Stolen alongside Saint Vitus.
- Christ Salvator Mundi: Originally from the Church of Saint Gotthard.
- Year of Theft: 1992
- Seller’s Purchase Price: CZK 50,000 (~€2,000)
Investigation and Recovery Efforts
According to Vladimír Kelnar from the Prague Archbishopric, the wave of religious art thefts beginning in the 1990s was unprecedented. Criminal police officer Jan Menger noted that many of the criminals responsible remain unidentified. Investigations were hampered by the overwhelming number of thefts occurring simultaneously.
On the French side, officer Nathalie Chanvallon initiated the investigation after Interpol issued alerts. They discovered the statues listed for sale on a popular antiques website called Proantic. After confirming the sellers had acquired the statues in good faith, they were asked to return the artworks to Czechia voluntarily.
Continuing Efforts to Recover Stolen Art
The repatriation of these statues highlights ongoing efforts to recover stolen cultural artifacts. Currently, Czech police maintain a database tracking around 20,000 stolen art pieces. Investigators are still pursuing other missing objects, including a significant Gothic cross that recently auctioned for approximately CZK one million.
The return of these items not only restores a part of Czech heritage but also serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving cultural artifacts for future generations.
