The Bich Family's Quest: Reclaiming Fra Angelico's Saint Sixtus
The descendants of the Bic family are seeking to reclaim a valuable Italian Renaissance artwork by Fra Angelico that they believe was stolen by a former employee. The painting, acquired by Marcel Bich in 1972, depicts Saint Sixtus and was purchased by Chilean businessman Alvaro Saieh in 2018. The Bich family claims that their father's chauffeur stole the painting in 2006 and sold it to art dealer Richard Feigen. Despite unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the artwork from Saieh, the Bich heirs have filed a lawsuit in New York to reclaim ownership.
The Bich family's lawsuit alleges that Saieh is in possession of stolen artwork and that Feigen's estate holds funds that were not rightfully obtained. The heirs are seeking the return of the painting and the funds associated with its sale. Saieh's representative has stated that he purchased the artwork in good faith and intends to defend against the lawsuit in court, while Christie's, the auction house involved in the sale, has declined to comment on the matter.
Fra Angelico, a Dominican friar and renowned artist of the early Renaissance, was patronized by Cosimo de' Medici, the ruler of Florence. Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1982, Fra Angelico is revered as a master of his time and is considered the patron saint of artists. The legal battle over the ownership of the Fra Angelico painting continues as the Bich family seeks to reclaim the valuable artwork and its rightful place in their collection.