Painting infoBuccleuch version
The version of this painting often regarded as the most likely to be by Leonardo is in the collection of the Duke of Buccleuch and hung in his home in Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland until stolen; he has said it will be returned to public display there.
In 2003, it was stolen by two thieves posing as tourists. "Don't worry love, we're the police. This is just practice" two tourists from New Zealand were told, as the thieves exited a window carrying the Leonardo. The painting was recovered at a lawyer's office in Glasgow in October 2007 after police officers, from four anti-crime agencies, raided a meeting of five people. A spokesman for the law firm said: "There is absolutely no impropriety whatsoever. There is an interesting, but benign, explanation, but no wrongdoing has been done on their part." Four arrests were made, including two solicitors from different firms. The Scotsman, describing the Glasgow firm as "one of the country's most successful and respected law firms" quoted a source as saying their arrested member "was not involved in any criminal act, but was acting as a go-between for two parties by scrutinizing a contract which would have allowed an English firm to 'secure legal repatriation' of the painting from an unidentified party." John Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch had died just a month before the recovery, which came as a complete surprise to the family.
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