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Painting lost in WWII returns to Poland’s Wawel Castle

07.12.2021 23:45
A pastel painting by Leon Wyczółkowski that disappeared during World War II has been retrieved by the Polish government and returned to the Wawel Royal Castle in the southern city of Kraków.
Polands Culture Minister Piotr Gliński hands the recovered painting by Leon Wyczółkowski, A Highland GirlA Countryside Girl in a Yellow Shawl, back to the Wawel Royal Castle, at a ceremony in Kraków on Tuesday.
Poland's Culture Minister Piotr Gliński hands the recovered painting by Leon Wyczółkowski, "A Highland Girl/A Countryside Girl in a Yellow Shawl", back to the Wawel Royal Castle, at a ceremony in Kraków on Tuesday.PAP/Art Service

Painted in 1900 and entitled A Highland Girl/A Countryside Girl in a Yellow Shawl, the long-lost pastel was spotted by officials from Poland’s culture ministry at one of Warsaw’s auction houses in December last year, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

At the request of the ministry, the auctioneers withdrew the painting from the auction, while the owner decided to hand the work back to the government. 

On Tuesday, Poland’s Culture Minister Piotr Gliński officially granted the Wyczółkowski back to the Wawel Royal Castle, where it hung before the war.

Gliński told reporters that some 500 previously lost artworks had been returned to Polish museums over the past few years.

He also announced that as of the new year, the ministry’s looted art task force would be expanded and provided with more staff.

Meanwhile, Andrzej Betlej, director of the Royal Wawel Castle, said that A Highland Girl/A Countryside Girl in a Yellow Shawl would be showcased at a special exhibition of Wyczółkowski’s paintings in the spring. 

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP