By chance it was spotted by Belgian art historian Bert Schepers at an auction in Toulon in France in 2020, and he alerted Chatsworth to its whereabouts.
Thanks to a record of the work on the Art Loss Register (ALR), the seller agreed to give it back to Chatsworth, and the painting was returned in May after repainting and restoration.
Lucy O’Meara, recoveries manager at ALR, said: “Despite that long period of time since the loss, we are delighted to have been able to secure its return to Chatsworth where it belongs, and this should give hope to others who are still seeking the return of pictures stolen decades ago.”
Alice Martin, head of the Devonshire Collections, said: “We are very grateful to the expert team at the Art Loss Register for their assistance in recovering this painting. Their guidance was invaluable in securing a successful outcome.”
The painting is due to go on display at the National Galleries of Scotland’s Royal Scottish Academy building in November.
