3 Apr 2014

Stolen paintings located in Italy

3:42 pm on 3 April 2014

Two paintings by the French artists Paul Gauguin and Pierre Bonnard stolen in London in 1970 have been located in Italy.

"Fruits sur une table ou nature morte au petit chien" by Paul Gauguin.

"Fruits sur une table ou nature morte au petit chien" by Paul Gauguin. Photo: AFP

The canvases were left on a train in northern Italy and were sold at an auction of lost property in 1975.

The BBC reports a car worker paid 45,000 Italian lire (€23) for the items which he hung in his home in Turin and then in Sicily when he retired.

Their real identity came to light when the man's son contacted experts, after noticing similarities to other paintings by Gauguin.

The Gauguin painting, titled Fruits sur une table ou nature au petit chien (Fruits on a table or still life with a small dog), was painted in 1889.

Police said it was thought to be worth between €10 million and €30 million.

The Bonnard, La femme aux deux fauteuils (Woman with two armchairs), is valued at €600,000.