$5-million stolen Rembrandt found after 15 years

THOMAS ADAMSON

March 21, 2014 at 12:46 PM

Colonel Stephane Goffeni holds the painting "L'enfant a la bulle de savon, 1630" (Child with a Soap Bubble) attributed to painter Rembrandt (1606-1669) during a presentation to journalists at a court in Nice March 20, 2014. The painting was stolen from a museum in Draguignan in southern France 15 years ago and has been recovered in Nice. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard (FRANCE - Tags: CRIME LAW SOCIETY MEDIA)

Rembrandt's painting "Child with a Soap Bubble", stolen in 1999 from the municipal museum of Draguignan in southeastern France, is presented to the press in Nice, southeastern France, Thursday, March 20, 2014. The Rembrandt painting worth millions has been recovered in Nice, and two people found in possession of the Dutch master's painting have been arrested, a source close to the investigation said on March 19, 2014.(AP Photo/str)

Policeman Colonel Stephane Gauffeny of the Central Office for the Fight against Trafficking of Cultural Property, left, and Nice's Divisional Police Commissioner Philippe Frizon present to the press the Rembrandt's painting "Child with a Soap Bubble", stolen in 1999 from the municipal museum of Draguignan, southeastern France, in Nice, France, Thursday, March 20, 2014. The Rembrandt painting worth millions has been recovered in Nice, and two people found in possession of the Dutch master's painting have been arrested, a source close to the investigation said on March 19, 2014. (AP Photo/str)

Policeman Colonel Stephane Gauffeny of the Central Office for the Fight against Trafficking of Cultural Property police division, presents to the press the Rembrandt's painting "Child with a Soap Bubble", stolen in 1999 from the municipal museum of Draguignan, southeastern France, Thursday, March 20, 2014, in Nice, southeastern France. The Rembrandt painting worth millions has been recovered in Nice, and two people found in possession of the Dutch master's painting have been arrested, a source close to the investigation said on March 19, 2014. (AP Photo/str)

Colonel Stephane Goffeni holds the painting "L'enfant a la bulle de savon, 1630" attributed to painter Rembrandt during a presentation to journalists at the court in Nice

Colonel Stephane Goffeni holds the painting "L'enfant a la bulle de savon, 1630" (Child with a Soap Bubble) attributed to painter Rembrandt (1606-1669) during a presentation to journalists at a court in Nice March 20, 2014. The painting was stolen from a museum in Draguignan in southern France 15 years ago and has been recovered in Nice. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard (FRANCE - Tags: CRIME LAW SOCIETY MEDIA)

REUTERS

PARIS (AP) — A stolen Rembrandt masterpiece valued at more than $5 million has been found in Nice and returned to its rightful owners after 15 years in the wilderness.

The haunting chiaroscuro oil painting, "Child with a Soap Bubble," was raided from the Draguignan Museum in July 1999 by robbers who slipped in through an adjacent library amid celebrations for the Bastille Day holiday.

Authorities recovered the 17th-century work Tuesday inside a Nice home and returned it to curator Jeanine Bussieres Thursday in an emotional ceremony.

"We are thrilled... This Rembrandt was one of our masterpieces. The child in the picture is smiling because he has a soap bubble. But yes, he could be smiling now because he's been returned to us," Bussieres told the AP.

Two suspects have been detained.

News

Life

Entertainment

Finance

Sports

New on Yahoo

$5-million stolen Rembrandt found after 15 years

Colonel Stephane Goffeni holds the painting "L'enfant a la bulle de savon, 1630" attributed to painter Rembrandt during a presentation to journalists at the court in Nice