A sixteenth-century Flemish panel painting depicting the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saint Joseph has been recovered from illicit trafficking and is now part of the collection of the Museo de Belas Artes da Coruña in Spain.
Anonymous, Virgin and Child, Saint Anne and Saint Joseph, Museo de Belas Artes da Coruña
The painting, attributed to an anonymous Flemish painter and likely produced in Antwerp in the early sixteenth century, was recovered as part of Operation Altarpiece, a joint investigation involving the Spanish Ministry of Culture, the Spanish Civil Guard, and the Italian Carabinieri’s Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. The operation led to the recovery of more than 60 cultural objects that had been illegally exported from Spain to Italy.
The works were traced to a villa in Italy and were subsequently located in galleries and private residences in several Italian cities. Following their recovery, the Spanish authorities allocated the works to a number of state museums across the country.
The Flemish panel was assigned to the Museo de Belas Artes da Coruña at a meeting of the Spanish Council for Historical Heritage in Rome in October 2025. In September 2026, it was formally presented to the museum, where it will remain as part of the permanent collection.