Original Yosef Bao Painting Returned to Family 16 Years After Museum Theft

Sixteen years after it was stolen from the Yosef Bao Museum in Tel Aviv, the original painting by Israeli animation pioneer Yosef Bao has finally been returned to his family. The painting, depicting a Yemeni figure, was among several items taken during a 2010 break-in at the museum located on Berdichevsky Street, which houses Bao's estate. Bao's daughters, Hadassah and Tzlila Bao, had been searching for the stolen works for years, monitoring auctions, galleries, and markets.

The breakthrough came after a story about the missing painting was published about a month ago by ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth. A friend of the sisters' father, who learned about the case through the article, decided to purchase the painting himself and gift it back to the family. The painting was handed over to the Bao sisters last Thursday, marking a joyful conclusion to a long search.

Hadassah Bao expressed deep emotion upon receiving the artwork, saying, "The stolen painting 'Yemeni' has returned to us. A friend of our father bought it and gave it to us as a gift. Yesterday it came back, and now we are finally allowed to photograph it and take pictures with it. I am moved to tears." The family continues efforts to recover other stolen items, including original paintings, three old cameras, and film reels. Just this January, the sisters found and repurchased a unique film reel of their father at a flea market. This time, however, they did not have to pay for the painting themselves. The recovered artwork is now back at the Yosef Bao Museum alongside his other creations.