Stolen Matisse will return to Venezuela Automatic translate

CARACAS. The painting “Odalisque in Red Bloomers” by the French artist Henri Matisse, stolen in 2002 in Caracas and discovered in Miami in the middle of last year, will return to Venezuela after the relevant court decision is made. This information was disseminated by a source in the US government.

“Judging by how things are going, the picture will be in Venezuela in less than a month,” said Raúl Grioni, director of the State Institute of Cultural Heritage, noting that the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has now submitted documents confirming that the work belongs to this country.

Grioni said that on January 23, the US State Department appealed to the Venezuelan Embassy, ​​informing about the progress of the trial of the kidnappers of the art, as well as that the painting is in good condition, asking for confirmation of ownership. After that, a commission consisting of a representative of the Institute of Cultural Heritage and a judicial prosecutor flew to the United States. They will accompany the process of returning the canvas, as well as meet with a French expert who confirmed the authenticity of the painting.

Recall that Pedro Marcello and Maria Ornelas, who tried to sell the painting in Miami, were sentenced by the court to 33 and 21 months of imprisonment, respectively, after they fully admitted their guilt.

Anna Sidorova