The New York herald., 1921-03-24
WENT HUNGRY WITH IT
Outcast Finally Traded
Great Painting for Bare
Necessities of Life.
FELL INTO GOOD HANDS
Work of 18th Century Master
Will Be Returned TO the
Museum.

The Madonna and Child with st.
Francis" painted by the Italian If
teenth century master, Francisco Raj
bolini. stolen from the National Art
Gallery of Bologna and recovered In
an obscure New York cafe, as told
exclusively yesterday by THE NEW
York HERALD is now safe and sound
IN rireproof and burglar proof vault
IN this city.
There il will await completion of
arrangements, already begun through
the italian Embassy in Washington
and the Ministry of the Fine Arts in
Rome. for its return to the room In
the Bolognese Gallery set apart for
many of the famous old masters.
Capt. Piero Tozzi, war medalist and
famous painter, who was the fortunate
discoverer of the stolen Francia treas
ure, said yesterday he hoped before
the paintings restoration to Italy that
It might be possible TO arrange for It's
exhibition here for a short time in
one Of the city's art galleries.
With the assent of the Italian Am
bassador, Capt Tozzi made public ad-
ditional details of the recovery, sup
plemenung those narrated by THE
NEW YORK HERALD yesterday.
''The priceless little panel found by
me here by the merest chance" said he,
lis only II by 3 inches in dimensions.
and It is painted upon wood one inch
thick Its theft from the Bolognese
Gallery was discovered on September z,
1919. The thief. who had extracted the
little gem from its frame, had inserted
in its place a colored photograph OF the
masterpiece SO deftly that at a casual
glance the substitution might pass un-
challenged. Since the theft the Italian
police have searched the world vainly.
From the story CLEANED with my re-
demption Of the painting / believe the
thief. whoever he may have been, feared
10 try 70 sell his loot. even In America,
In any reputable art circles. because II
Francia's work Is so universally well
known that an effor. to realize anything
like its true value would have led to
almost certain detection. At the time
OF the theft Italian newspapers placed
the value Of the picture at 10000 lire,
or about 100000 In American money"
Capt Tozzi went on TO tell his belief
that the thief in all likelihood carried his
treasure with his scanty wardrobe In
bag. Evidently he did not prosper.
IN, al.
half clothed. homeless and In despair
he. had traded the stolen masterpiece
for the crude necessities OF life. The
Captain Is not only a painter but he does
much collecting and IS always on the
lookout for art rarities.
A friend of Captain Tozzis few days
ago told him of what he regarded as an
extra ordinarily exquisite little gem
which he had seen in an italian trat-
toria, or eating house, IN that section OF
the upper East Side colloquialiy known
rs Little Italy. The Captain lunched in
the quaint trattoria, drew its proprietor
into conversation and gradually ap-
preached the subject of the picture.
Ah yes, there was a nice little picture
and II II Signore would follow his host
up stairs he should see IL.
The Masterpiece Revealed.
on tho upper floor a bureau drawer
was unlocked From II the host took
a small package wrapped in a New York
newspaper bearing the date December
8, 192A Capt. Tozzi opened the wrap
pings.
"0uesta II quadro, signor" tHere
Is the plcture). said tho man. But tho
soldier artist was gazing spellbound at
the small panel he held exposed In his
- 81. - -
most sure. Many times had he studied
the little gem as Il hung in place In
the Bolognese gallery. Carefully he
scrutinized its texture and Its inscrip-
ton. At last he was satisfied that he
had blundered upon the $4,000 treas
IRE the police of the world had failed
to trace
Capt. Tozzi took at its face value the
glib tale told by the cafe proprietor
To help poor and homeless man for
year past, mine host said. he had been
advancing small sums of money for
food, shoes and lodging and the picture
had been turned over 70 him in exchange
for his brunty. He could not afford
70 lose that sum. But would lie sell the
little Madonna? Surely he would, and
he finally named as his price n few
hundred dollars "It IS a good paint
ing" said Capt. Tozzi. and he closed
the bargain with an avidity ne sought
70 conceal from the buyer who EVIL
IDENTIFY thought himself reclSlessiy profit
cering ~ the expense OF too eager
art lover.
The Francia was placed in safe de-
post vault and tho Captain toleKraphed
hts good fortune 10 Ambassador Rolandi-
Ricci IN Washington. To make assur-
ance OF identity doubly sure he invited
several experts 70 inspect his And aAd
they all pronounced the Francia gem
uine. One OF those who authenticated IL
was his friend Amedeo Canossa OF this
city.
Pasquale Margarells. an Italian man
ufacturer, of f41 Broome street, claimed
the privilege III behalf OF his fatheriand
n indemnifying Capt. Tozzi for the sew
elal hundred dollars the soldier painter
had paid the trattoria owner. Signor
Margarella's check and the art treas
Gre. still wrapped in the New York
rewspaper OF December 8. 1919, then
formally changed owners The date OF
the newspaper Is believed TO indicate ap-
proximately the time OF the arrival OF
the thief, or the receiver OF the stolen
painting IN this country II was lust
about three months after Bologna dis
t,ovored TIA tnnn