Siena Archdiocese Receives Restored 14th‑Century Miniature from Cleveland Museum

This morning the Archdiocese of Siena‑Colle Val d'Elsa returned a precious 14th‑century illuminated manuscript fragment to its headquarters in Siena after the Italian Carabinieri’s cultural‑heritage unit negotiated its repatriation with the United States. The fragment, a decorated page with a capital "A" and an image of Christ blessing two angels, had been stolen from the Concattedrale di Colle Val d'Elsa in 1932, entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1952, and remained there for nearly a century.

The return follows diplomatic talks between Italy and the United States and adds to earlier restitutions of similar medieval corals in 2020 and 2025. The piece, attributed to the so‑called Maestro dei corali di San Lucchese, will be displayed at the Museo di San Pietro in Colle Val d'Elsa, underscoring ongoing cooperation between the Carabinieri, the Archdiocese, and American cultural institutions to protect and recover historic ecclesiastical art.