Looted artworks are at the center of a new public appeal from the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans, which has rolled out a playful but pointed “Wanted” campaign to track down 424 missing paintings taken or lost over decades, many amid the turmoil of World War II.
Among the targets is a portrait of Charles-Nicolas Cochin the Younger by Jean Siméon Chardin, seized when the German invasion reached Orléans. The museum, located along the Loire River, is circulating stylized posters emblazoned with “WANTED” in bold, Western-style lettering across black-and-white images of the absent works on social platforms, its website, and other outlets, according to officials.
“The goal is to make this history known and give renewed life to these missing paintings, and to invite everyone to participate in this search so that no one can say ‘we did not know,’” museum director Olivia Voisin said in an emailed statement.
Search for looted artworks spans centuries of European art
In June 1940, during fighting in Orléans, an annex of the museum known as the Musée Paul Fourché was burned and, in the ensuing chaos, almost entirely ransacked. Around 350 European paintings, some dating to the 16th century, were lost. Other works disappeared or were stolen at different times, including from French administrative offices where pieces had been on loan.
The museum lists 424 paintings still unaccounted for. They include a work attributed to Raphael’s workshop, a piece by Édouard Manet, and paintings by Lorenzo Costa, Hans Holbein the Younger, and Anthony van Dyck. Asked about their value, Voisin noted the collection’s public status, saying the works are inalienable and imprescriptible and therefore not assigned a market price.
Voisin began renewed provenance research two years ago to assemble the most complete catalog yet of the missing items, explaining that a comprehensive list had not previously existed. The aim, she said, was to create a tool usable by auctioneers, dealers, and other art professionals.
The effort is already bearing fruit. In the past two years, three paintings have been returned under differing circumstances, which Voisin said reflects shifting attitudes and a timely moment to broaden the search.
The museum has tried for years to draw attention to the losses, with limited impact. Framing the message through the light-touch “Wanted” theme has helped capture public interest, Voisin said, citing increased media coverage in France and abroad.
The outreach continues online. In a recent post, the museum urged viewers to share a video about the “wanted” works, noting there is nothing to gain except the possibility that someone might recognize an image seen somewhere. It called sharing a simple act for the public good and for future generations.
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