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Count Lepic and His Daughters by Edgar Degas

Edgar Degas · 1871-01-01

Edgar Degas’s “Count Lepic and His Daughters,” painted around 1871, has a dramatic history that goes beyond its artistic merit. This oil on canvas, depicting Ludovic-Napoléon Lepic with his two young daughters, was stolen from the Foundation E.G. Bührle in Zürich, Switzerland, in 2008. Thieves broke in after closing, taking this and three other masterpieces.

While the family's intimate moment is captured with Degas's characteristic detail, from the father's dark coat to the daughters' delicate dresses, the painting itself endured a four-year disappearance. It was eventually recovered in Serbia in 2012, bearing some minor damage from its ordeal. Fortunately, the work was meticulously restored to its original condition, preserving the expressions of the girls and the texture of their garments.

This painting is not only a beautiful example of Degas’s transition between realism and impressionism but also a testament to the enduring value and vulnerability of art. Its recovery highlights the dedicated efforts of art recovery specialists worldwide.

What details do you notice in the daughters' expressions?

Details

It was stolen from a Swiss museum in 2008.
It was stolen from a Swiss museum in 2008.
The thieves waited until after the museum closed.
The thieves waited until after the museum closed.
Four years later, it was found damaged in Serbia.
Four years later, it was found damaged in Serbia.
The painting was restored and returned to the museum.
The painting was restored and returned to the museum.
Her face now looks just as it did before.
Her face now looks just as it did before.
Transcript

This family portrait, painted in 1871, hides a secret. It was stolen from a Swiss museum in 2008. The thieves waited until after the museum closed. Four years later, it was found damaged in Serbia. The painting was restored and returned to the museum. Her face now looks just as it did before.