The National Police have recovered two oval oil paintings on pine panel by the 17th-century painter from Seville Lucas Valdés, which belonged to the Hospital of the Venerable Priests in Seville and had been missing for almost a century.
The investigation began in September 2025, when the Ministry of Culture, through the Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Goods unit and after being alerted by the Archdiocese of Seville, informed the National Police that two works listed in an auction house catalogue might have been stolen from the church of the Hospital of the Venerable Priests in Seville.
Missing since 1930
The pieces were due to be auctioned a few days later and matched the characteristics of two works that have been missing since 1930, two paintings that disappeared after the Ibero-American Exposition in Seville.
The recovered works are two oval oil paintings on pine panel depicting biblical scenes by the renowned 17th-century painter from Seville Lucas Valdés.
These pieces formed part of the decoration of the main altarpiece of the church of the Hospital of the Venerable Priests in Seville and were loaned in 1929 for display at the Ibero-American Exposition in Seville. However, when the event ended in 1930, they were never returned and their whereabouts remained unknown for decades.
On the basis of the information received, the Historical Heritage Brigade launched the necessary enquiries to verify the provenance of the works and determine whether they were the missing pieces from the Church of the Venerable Priests in Seville. Once their authenticity had been confirmed and it had been established that they were indeed the missing paintings, officers proceeded to their precautionary seizure to prevent their sale and ensure their protection.
Mediation with the holders to secure their return
During the course of the investigation, officers identified the current holders of the works and informed them of the legal and heritage status of the pieces, explaining that they should be returned to their rightful owners. Thanks to the mediation efforts between the holders and the Archdiocese of Seville, the effective return of both works was finally secured.
On the 20th of this month, the two paintings were deposited with the Archdiocese of Seville, in a handover ceremony held in the church of the Hospital of the Venerable Priests in the city.
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