A ‘priceless’ 18th century British painting stolen by gangsters in New Jersey was found by the FBI in Utah and returned to a family after 54 years.
The painting, entitled ‘The School Mistress’, was created in 1784 by John Opie, an English historical and portrait painter.
It was introduced in the 1930s by Dr. Earl Leroy Wood purchased for $7,500, but was later stolen from his home in Newark, New Jersey in July 1969 by three convicted gangsters.
In 1989, it resurfaced in a home in Hallendale, Florida, after an unknown homeowner purchased it along with his new home. After he died in 2020, it was appraised and discovered stolen.
Special Agent Gary France then worked with the FBI in Salt Lake City and Newark to return the painting to Dr.’s 96-year-old son on January 11. Earl Leroy, Dr. Francis Wood.
A stolen 18th-century British painting from 1784 was returned to its rightful owner after 54 years
The son of Dr. Earl Leroy Wood, Dr. Francis Wood, received the painting stolen by the FBI on January 11, 1969. In the photo: Francis and his children with the painting
Francis grins as he looks at the artwork stolen from his father’s house by three gangsters in July 1969
“It’s definitely in the top five things I’ve ever worked on in my career,” France told KSL News Radio.
“A very new and unusual experience,” said France, revealing that this was the first art crime case he had worked on in 21 years.
The artwork, displayed on a 40 by 60 inch canvas, shows a group of young boys being taught in a classroom in Cornwall, along with more children in the back with a dog.
The oil painting was “greatly admired” and “launched Opie’s career in London” because he used family members as models for the piece, according to Tate.
In the summer of 1969, three notorious gangsters, Gerald Festa, Gerald Donnerstag and Austin Castiglione, first broke into Earl Leroy Wood’s home in search of his coin collection, but were unsuccessful after being thrown off by a burglar alarm and running away.
Police and State Senator Anthony Imperiale then responded to the attempted robbery and were told about the valuable painting by the housekeeper, ABC4 reported.
Just three weeks later, the same gangsters broke into the New Jersey home again and escaped in pain, said FBI spokeswoman Sandra Yi Barker in Salt Lake City.
At a trial before Donnerstag, his accomplice Festa testified and confessed to taking the artwork, revealing that he did so “under the direction of Senator Imperiale.”
The allegations were never proven and Imperiale was never charged, but France believes the painting was transported by the mafia to another gangster and remained in their hands until the 1980s.
Then the piece resurfaced 20 years later after an unknown man bought a home in Hallendale, Florida from Joseph Covello Sr., an organized crime member who was indicted and convicted on RICO charges, France said.
After the precious piece was turned over to the FBI, France personally delivered it to Francis at his home in Newark. In the photo: Francis and France
Gerald Festa, Gerald Donnerstag and Austin Castiglione first broke into the home of Earl Leroy Wood (pictured) looking for his coin collection, but failed to steal it. Three weeks later they took the painting with them
A copy of a stolen poster taken at the time of the 1969 robbery
The stolen piece came with the sale of the house, but the buyer said he was unaware of its long history or value. It stayed with him when he moved to his new home St. George, Utah.
The man subsequently died in 2020, and the artwork was found a year later by a Utah-based accounting firm he hired to liquidate his home.
Once it was appraised, it became clear that it had been stolen and turned over to the FBI.
A judge in Utah then confirmed that the piece was property and France went to Dr.’s house. Francis Wood in Newark to return his father’s stolen painting to him.
Upon France’s arrival, Wood was surrounded by his children who posed for photos with him around the recovered artwork.
“It was fascinating to talk to the Wood family and see the photos they took of this painting on the wall in 1968 as they gathered for their family vacations,” France said.
Tom Wood, Francis’ son, told the story ABC news that their family was stunned when they heard the painting had been found, saying they “didn’t have much hope that we would ever see it again.”