Titian at the London Bus Stop

All manner of things have been found at London bus stops over the years: brollies, to be sure, but also grandfather clocks, embalmed pufferfish, or even urns containing the ashes of the dearly departed; less often (so far, it’s only happened once) a Titian masterpiece in a plastic bag. The man behind the find was Charley Hill, a detective at Scotland Yard, and later private eye; whether flashing a badge or cashing a retainer, he was a formidable sleuth who recovered a glittering trove of masterpieces throughout his career (Munch’s The Scream, a Vermeer, and a couple of Guardi paintings stolen from Russborough House by the brutal Irish thief Martin Cahill). The Titian at the bus stop was a youthful Rest on the Flight into Egypt: the painting bespoke a deep and abiding yearning for motherly love, as well as an innate predilection for lavish colors. When it sold at an Old Masters auction at Christie’s, it fetched a record price of more than 22 million dollars.