Detailed technical and historical assessments have confirmed that the artwork recently confiscated in Tarhuna is not an authentic ancient artifact, but a high-quality replica of a world-renowned 19th-century French masterpiece. The seizure was the result of a security operation led by the Tourist Police and Antiquities Protection Authority in collaboration with the Tarhuna Security Directorate. Authorities successfully tracked the suspects’ illicit activities on social media platforms, where they attempted to market the piece for smuggling. Following a legal mandate from the Public Order Prosecution in Tripoli, security forces arrested the individuals and transferred them to the judicial authorities for further investigation.
Tourism Police stops antiquities smuggling attempt
Art historical research identifies the seized object as a reproduction of the iconic painting Springtime (Le Printemps), created in 1873 by the distinguished French Academic artist Pierre-Auguste Cot (1837–1883). Cot was celebrated for his mastery of the Academic style, blending rigorous technical precision with romanticized themes of youth and emotion. The painting depicts an idyllic scene of a young couple on a swing, verdant forest—a visual metaphor for the innocence and rapture of first love. The original work gained immense popularity following its debut at the Paris Salon in 1873, leading to its widespread reproduction on diverse media such as porcelain, hand fans, and fine textiles throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The authentic oil-on-canvas masterpiece, measuring 127 x 213 cm, has a well-documented provenance, having first been acquired by collector John Wolfe for his Manhattan mansion. Today, the genuine Springtime is permanently housed in the prestigious collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (Accession No. 2012.575), gifted to the institution by Steven and Alexandra Cohen. This recent incident in Libya serves as a reminder of the critical role of specialized security units in monitoring the art market and distinguishing between cultural heritage items and commercial replicas, which are frequently used in fraudulent international smuggling schemes.