Art World’s ‘Indiana Jones’ Recovers Artifact Containing The ‘Blood Of Christ’
On July 2, 2022, some thieves snuck under the cover of darkness into the Normandy Fécamp Abbey and filched ancient Catholic relics. Unbeknownst to them, two vials hidden in an ornate golden box said to contain the blood of Jesus Christ were in their possession.
Once it was found to be missing, the Precious Blood of Christ—or Précieux Sang, which is believed to have been collected during the crucifixion—was thought to be lost forever. In came Dutch art detective Arthur Brand, who was contacted via email by someone who wanted to return the vials of blood.
Looking at this ancient artifact, one would never guess it held such valuable items. It’s kept in a golden box encrusted with jewels and decorated with paintings of Christ and other saints. When placed in a church, it appears to be any other Catholic relic. When the thieves discovered what it contained, they sought out the one person they believed could assist them.
I recovered the legendary ‘Blood of Jesus' of Fécamp ('Précieux Sang’), one of the oldest and holiest relics of the Catholic Church. Said to contain blood drops of Jesus Christ, collected in the Holy Grail from his wounds at the Cross. Stolen on June 2nd 2022 in France. AMEN! pic.twitter.com/YhgK8RaUaf
— Arthur Brand (art detective) (@brand_arthur) July 12, 2022
Through his numerous art recovery projects, Brand has made a name for himself in the art world. As a result, he’s been dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the art world.” When he received the email, he knew he had to act.
These pieces are notoriously difficult to sell on the black market, as buyers might cower from being condemned by a higher power or the Church. Needless to say, the burglars were eager to return it.
They were afraid of being caught if they returned the relic, so Brand suggested they just left it on his doorstep. He sat patiently in his house for nearly a week, not leaving once for fear of missing them. On a Tuesday evening, however, he looked out his window and noticed a box by his door.
Upon receiving it, Brand made a necessary breach to check if everything was in order where previously only a Bishop had access to open such an item. Once he deemed everything was there, he contacted Dutch authorities who will return it to the French police.
The whole affair felt like a storyline straight from Dan Brown’s mind. In fact, the author, who is one of Brand’s favorites, even posted the story on his Facebook as a little shoutout to Brand, with a caption that read: “Art detective will forever be a cool job title.”
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[via Artnet News and Euronews, cover image via Photo 67063519 © Antonio Ciero Reina | Dreamstime.com]
