The details of the theft are as follows: A three paneled altar decoration from a church was being moved by ship from from the Netherlands to Florence Italy. The altar artwork was created by a renowned artist of the time by the name of Hans Memling. Hans Memeling (pronounced Memlinc) was a commissioned painter usually of two panel portraits and three panel religous themed paintings. Memling often times inserted images of his patrons into the religious themed art that was commissioned.The altar pieces being shipped were an elaborate multi-panel painting called "Last Judgement". The commision may have been from the Medici Banking family and was intended to go into a privately owned chapel
The Netherlands consisted of modern day Belgium, Luxenbourg and Flanders county of the Netherlands.
During the Middle Ages these areas were divided into many small independent municipalities properly termed principalities; essentially these were land locked areas that had
borders with France, Germany/Austria and Belgium.
According to reports, the ship was attacked by pirates another account of the story is that the pirates boarded before leaving the Netherlands. Those who were from Poland took the ship to Poland instead of Italy. It was initially installed into another Church in Poland where it hung for hundreds of years. It was later moved to a museum in Poland, located in Gdansk. To this day, this painting is still cultural ownership disputed painting between the countries of Italy and Poland.
The motivation for that theft it seems was based on a cultural appropriation mindset and although considered the oldest documented theft is also one of two thefts that were similarly motivated.
What is unclear is why Poland felt it was rightfully theirs when you think about the painter being from the Netherlands but painted in the style of his mentor and a style he created all on his own. It also seems that many of his patrons were from Italy. So, the painting being shipped to Italy should not have been a surprise. Not much more about the theft it seems to be available on why the Polish have felt it was "at home" in their country though.
Recovery of this painting has been what some say a daunting task and it is considered an unresolved dispute.
Recovery of stolen art although many think is a new thing circa the 20th century, in the United States, a law regarding pilaging was introduced in the late 1800's post the US Civil War. The law is named after the army soldier who pushed for it named Francis Lieber.
“Art became a high risk currency that circulated within specific circles.”
18 / MAXPIRA LUXURY LIFE /INVESTING: ArtTheft: A Historical Timeline