Spain's National Police have successfully recovered two oil paintings from the 17th century that vanished in 1930 after being shown at the Ibero-American Exposition of Seville.

The pieces were formally handed back to the Archdiocese of Seville in a ceremony held on May 20 at the church of the Hospital of the Venerable Priests in Seville.

Officials present included Archdiocese Secretary-General Isacio Siguero, Dean Francisco José Ortiz, Cathedral Chapter delegate Francisco Román, and officers from the Historical Heritage Brigade.

The recovered works, Samson Taking the Honeycomb from the Lion's Mouth and David Receiving the Loaves of the Presence from Achimelech, originally decorated the central altarpiece of the church.

Painted by Lucas Valdés between 1698 and 1700, they are listed in historical records as two Old Testament scenes placed beside the canopy of the main altar.

Archdiocese officials noted that the return was made possible through combined efforts of church staff, cooperation from recent owners, and police intervention, allowing the faithful and visitors to view the paintings once more.

Discovery After Decades in Private Hands

The paintings remained in the church until 1889, when they were relocated to the sacristy during altarpiece renovations. Researcher Diego Angulo documented them around 1921-1922.

In 1929 they were lent for the Ibero-American Exposition, yet after the event concluded in 1930 they were never returned and were presumed lost in a private collection.

A tip received by the Culture Ministry in September 2025 linked two works listed in an auction catalog to the missing pieces.

Seizure and Formal Restitution

Police launched an immediate inquiry to confirm the identity of the paintings. Once verified as the Valdés originals, officers seized the works and arranged their return to the Archdiocese of Seville.