The Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans has started an initiative to help recover 424 paintings that disappeared from its collection, many during the upheavals of the Second World War. Titled Wanted, the initiative combines a published list of missing works with a series of “wanted” posters to draw attention to these lost works.
In order to identify and facilitate the return of missing works, the museum has compiled a list of all paintings previously recorded in its inventories and catalogues that are now missing. Each entry draws on museum catalogues, archival documents, and other historical sources to provide the most complete description possible. This initiative has already led to the recovery of four paintings over the past two years.
One of the missing works: Workshop of Joos van Cleve (1485-1540/1541), Saint Jerome in His Study, INV. MBAO PE.1440
Among the missing works are numerous paintings by Dutch and Flemish artists, including works attributed to Jan Brueghel (II), Frans Francken (I), Jacques de Gheyn (II), Jan Sanders van Hemessen, Philips Wouwerman, Nicolaes Berchem, David Teniers (II), Pieter Bout, Ferdinand Bol, Gerard Dou, and many others.
A PDF with the missing paintings is available on the website of the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans.