Five Rubens paintings reunited in Gotha after 81 years

The Stiftung Friedenstein in Gotha, Germany, reunited a group of five oil studies by the artist Rubens in its collection.

These paintings depict various church figures and were originally intended as preparatory works for a ceiling decoration in the Karl-Borromäus-Jesuitenkirche in Antwerp. Because a fire destroyed the original ceiling in 1718, these five studies now represent the largest complete set of original works from that specific commission in the artist's entire body of work.

The collection in Gotha suffered massive losses starting in 1945, when many treasures were moved or stolen. Some pieces were taken by Soviet forces, while others were sold by local authorities. The museum has spent years working to recover these items through various efforts. The Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung funded several of these returns. This recent reunion marks a milestone in the ongoing effort to restore the historic collection to its former state.

The museum displayed the five paintings in a specially designed room that simulates a church interior. This space features a photo wallpaper of the Antwerp church and black and white photos of the original ceiling designs. While most of the paintings returned to the museum, one work remains on loan from a Swiss foundation. The museum currently lists 1250 items as still missing from its original inventory.