Lost paintings back in Greater Poland. Sensational return of works of art after years

Priceless works considered lost for decades have returned to cultural institutions in Greater Poland. From a painting by Michał Gorstkin Wywiórski, to a Flemish tapestry, to an 18th-century antique print, the mysterious fates of these works resemble the plot of a good crime novel.

Greater Poland can celebrate. Valuable works of art that had been missing from Polish collections for decades have returned to the region. Two paintings by Michał Gorstkin Wywiórski, " The Coming Spring " and " Self-Portrait in the Open Air ," have found their home at the National Museum in Poznań . Gołuchów Castle has recovered the Flemish tapestry " Garden Scene " from the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, and a mid-18th-century print by Johann Albrecht Gesner has returned to the Poznań University Library .

"Today, four more objects are being returned to Polish collections: two paintings, a tapestry, and an old print. Thanks to the commitment of the previous owners, who unconditionally agreed to their return, we can rebuild collections depleted by war and theft," Minister of Culture and National Heritage Marta Cienkowska told PAP.

The ceremony of handing over the works of art took place at the Museum of Applied Arts at the Royal Castle in Poznań.

The Ministry of Culture has been conducting intensive restitution efforts for years. The Minister noted that since 2008, over 800 objects have been returned to Poland, and over 190 are undergoing restitution procedures in 18 countries.

Rediscovered years later, " Early Spring " and " Self-Portrait in the Open Air " disappeared from Poznań collections in January 1945, when approximately 250 paintings were removed from the warehouses of the Municipal Museum during the war. It wasn't until 2024 that both works were rediscovered on the Polish auction market .

Paintings by Michał Gorstkin Wywiórski License: Press materials / Ministry of Culture and National Heritage / Danuta Matloch

Following intervention by the Ministry of Culture, negotiations began with the owner, which resulted in an agreement. Today, the paintings can once again be seen at the National Museum in Poznań.

This past summer, the tapestry " Garden Scene " was put up for sale on an auction website. Thanks to the vigilance of museum staff, the valuable treasure was identified, and the sale was halted. Its history dates back to the Czartoryski collection in Gołuchów.

The rediscovered tapestry has returned to Greater Poland. License: Press materials / Ministry of Culture and National Heritage / Danuta Matłoch

During World War II, the work was confiscated by the Germans and later taken to Austria. It has been missing ever since.

"The paths through which works of art return to us are often purely criminal and detective. This tapestry was found on... Allegro," the minister said.

A 1745 old print by Johann Albrecht Gesner , discovered in a German antiquarian bookstore , has returned to the Poznań University Library . The book circulated on the European market for years, although it had belonged to Poznań's collection since the late 19th century.

Gesner's old print discovered in Germany License: Press materials / Ministry of Culture and National Heritage / Danuta Matłoch

Thanks to the preserved seals, its provenance was easily confirmed. After learning about the item's history, the seller decided to return it. The antique print was returned in excellent condition, with its original binding and complete set of pages.