The investigations into the Klimt painting “Portrait of a Woman”, which reappeared in Italy in December 2019 after almost 23 years, are discontinued. The judicial authorities of the northern Italian city of Piacenza, where the picture was stolen in 1997, have decided to end the investigation into three people suspected of theft and stolen goods.
PICTURED: POLIZIA MUNICIPALE DI PIACENZA
The evidence against the suspects was inadequate to continue the investigation, reported the Piacenza daily “Libertá”. Therefore, the investigating prosecutors spoke out in favor of discontinuing the investigation. The examining magistrate from Piacenza now has the final say.
The judicial authorities were investigating the widow of the ex-director of the Ricci Oddi art gallery in Piacenza, from which the picture was stolen in February 1997. The charge was stolen goods. It was also investigated against two men who had confessed to the theft of the Klimt painting. The two criminals, who specialize in art theft, wrote to the daily newspaper “Libertá” and confessed to the theft of the Klimt painting and reported that they had helped to find the work in a dungeon not far from the private Ricci Oddi art gallery, where the picture was taken on 10 December 2019 was found again.
The picture was created by Klimt in the last years of his life. It is part of a series of portraits of women. The painting, created between 1916 and 1917, shows the face and torso of a young woman with brown hair against a green background. The Ricci Oddi gallery estimated the value of the picture at between 60 and 100 million euros. The Klimt painting “Portrait of a Woman” has been exhibited again in the main room of the Ricci Oddi art gallery since November and is protected by a special display case.
