New York Investigators Return $600,000 Worth of Looted Art—and More Art Industry News
A July 13, 2026 Artnet News “Paint Drippings” roundup reported that New York investigators returned about $600,000 worth of looted art. The item also previewed upcoming fairs including Artissima’s 33rd edition in Turin (October 30–November 1) with more than 180 galleries, 33 of them first-time participants, and Contemporary Istanbul’s 21st edition (September 23–27) with 70 galleries and newcomers including Pearl Lam Projects, Takato Kano Gallery, and Whitestone Gallery. Using the Artnet Price Database, it said Christie’s totaled $2.7 billion in fine-art sales through June 2026 (up 78% year over year), Sotheby’s reached $2.3 billion (up 88%), and Phillips sold about $260 million (up 36.4%). It also noted Heritage Auctions posted a record mid-year $1.4 billion through June (up 47%), and that the Art Renewal Center planned an exhibition of about 100 works at Sotheby’s New York from July 17–27 with an online auction opening July 17.
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This story was covered in Restitution Reckonings and Museum Scandals Unravel