Nicolas Regnier

The Fortune Teller, attributed to Nicolas Regnier

1 September, 2018

Art Recovery International is pleased to announce the recovery and resolution of the title dispute over this painting and three other artworks that were the subject of an insurance claim in 2010.

The Fortune Teller, attributed to Nicolas Regnier was reported stolen or missing from a large collection in Washington DC in 2010.  The painting was located in 2018 at an auction house in Germany and ARI was appointed by the insurer to resolve the title claim.  Cooperation from the auction house and the consignor led to the discovery that the painting was legitimately purchased at auction in New York having been consigned by the theft victim himself in 2009.  Was it a mistake or a deliberate case of insurance fraud?  We were convinced of the former given the level of cooperation from the victim’s estate who was quick to reimburse the insurer for the payout sum plus interest.

Cooperation and transparency are the key to resolving these types of disputes and keeping them out of the courtroom.  At ARI, we don’t blindly go by what others tell us but seek to uncover the truth even if it is against our interests.