Lost Rubens Sketches Return to German Castle After 80 Years
Five rare oil studies by Peter Paul Rubens reunite at Gotha's Ducal Museum.
1Reuniting Lost Masterpieces
Five oil sketches by Peter Paul Rubens are displayed together at the Ducal Museum in Gotha, Germany, for the first time in over 80 years. These works, depicting various saints, were originally created in 1620 and 1621 as preparatory studies for ceiling paintings in an Antwerp Jesuit church that later burned down.
2Wartime Disappearance Explained
The sketches were part of the Schloss Friedenstein collection since the early 19th century but vanished during the chaos of World War II. As American and Soviet forces approached Gotha, representatives of the ducal family illicitly removed three sketches, while the Red Army looted two others, which were later returned in 1959.
3Illicit Sales and Recovery
The three sketches taken by the ducal family were sold on the US art market. In 2024, a museum in Buffalo returned one piece, St. Gregory of Nazianzus. Recently, a fourth work, The Prophet Elijah in the Golden Chariot, was recovered from a private US collection following a mediated settlement in Paris.
4Financial Settlement Details
The recovery of the latest sketch was facilitated by the Ernst von Siemens Art Foundation. Martin Hoernes, the foundation's secretary general, confirmed a settlement figure in the low millions, noting it was below market value. This approach aimed to avoid criminalizing current owners who had acquired the works in good faith.
5The Final Piece Loaned
The fifth sketch, depicting St. Augustine, is currently held by the Foundation E. G. Bührle Collection in Zurich. The foundation agreed to loan this final piece to the Ducal Museum in Gotha. This loan allows all five masterpieces to be exhibited together, marking the 450th anniversary of Rubens’ birth next year.
6Historical Significance of Sketches
These oil studies are considered the jewels of the Gotha art collection. Because the original ceiling paintings for the Antwerp church were destroyed by a lightning strike in 1718, these surviving sketches provide the only visual evidence of the artist's most significant commission from that specific period of his career.
7Context of Art Restitution
The return of these works highlights the ongoing efforts to recover cultural assets displaced during the Second World War. Gotha has successfully reclaimed other significant pieces, including a Rembrandt self-portrait that was also illegally removed eight decades ago, demonstrating the museum's persistent commitment to restoring its historical collection to the public.
8Curatorial and Cultural Impact
Tobias Pfeifer-Helke, director of the Friedenstein Foundation, described the reunion as a miracle. The exhibition, which opened on November 9, serves as a testament to European history. By gathering these unique Flemish masterpieces, the museum preserves a vital link to the 17th-century artistic legacy of Peter Paul Rubens for future generations.
Original article: The Art Newspaper — Lost Rubens Sketches Return to German Castle After 80 Years