A picture worth about $1 million was found during the random search of luggage left on a parked bus at a rest stop in France. Customs agents were checking for illegal drugs and found the suitcase that held the unframed picture. No passenger claimed it. The 1877 picture, a pastel, was signed “Degas.” It was examined by the Musée d’Orsay and recognized as “The Chorus Singers.” It had been loaned to a museum in Marseille for an exhibition in 2008. The picture had been unscrewed from the wall and stolen. There was no sign of a break-in and no clues that led to the thief. The picture did not have any noticeable damage. The Musée d’Orsay is having an exhibit of “Degas at the Opera” pictures in September 2019 and the recovered pastel will be featured. The investigation into the original theft and the return in the suitcase is still in the works.

 

Photo: Handout, AFP/Getty Images