German authorities have finally returned an 18th-century masterpiece that was stolen from Florence, Italy by Nazi soldiers during the Second World War and retained by an unnamed family.

The ‘Vaso di Fiori’ (Vase of Flowers) oil painting by Dutch artist Jan van Huysum was officially returned to Italy by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Friday. It had been in the possession of an unnamed German family since its theft and was the center of a campaign by the Uffizi Gallery seeking its repatriation.

"Un grande giorno per Firenze, l'Italia e la cultura, celebrando l'amicizia tra i popoli" #EikeSchmidt accoglie con queste parole il ritorno del dipinto rubato durante la II #GuerraMondiale#VanHuysumpic.twitter.com/tagIyCeXrc — Gallerie Uffizi (@UffiziGalleries) July 19, 2019

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Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, who officially accepted the return of the artwork, said the gesture was a symbol of the “strong friendship” between Italy and Germany, who both collaborated in the painting’s restitution.

“Justice has won thanks to the power of art. Together we have been able to give justice to history,” said the director of the Uffizi Gallery, Eike Schmidt, who led the push for the painting’s return. “This is a great day for all humanity.”

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