Lost Masters, Looted Legacies, and Monument Rollbacks

Show notes for today's episode of The Daily Art Download — your ten minute crash course in today's art world news. Detroit Institute of Arts director finds missing Velázquez painting https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/07/16/detroit-institute-of-arts-director-finds-missing-velazquez-painting Bavaria Revamps Procedures for Evaluating Restitution Claims for Nazi-Looted Art https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/bavaria-revamp-procedures-restitution-nazi-looted-art-1234792420/ Welcome to the Society of the Psyop https://news.artnet.com/multimedia/trevor-paglen-society-of-the-psyop-2784007 US congress introduces bill to protect public art in federal buildings targeted by Trump administration https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/07/16/us-congress-introduces-bill-to-protect-public-art-in-federal-buildings-targeted-by-trump-administration Manhattan District Attorney Repatriates Three Antiquities to Mexico https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/manhattan-district-attorney-repatriation-mexico-1234792453/ UK Politicians Call For Investigation of British Museum’s Removal of ‘Palestine’ from Display https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/uk-politicians-call-for-investigation-of-british-museums-removal-of-palestine-from-display-1234792435/ New Lawsuit Alleges Stolen Pierre Soulages Painting Sold at Christie’s as Part of Weis Collection https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/pierre-soulages-allegedly-stolen-weis-collection-christies-1234792426/ Trump Shrinks Utah National Monuments by 90% https://hyperallergic.com/trump-shrinks-utah-national-monuments-by-90/ Steidl, the Art World’s Go-To Photobook Publisher, Faces Insolvency Proceedings in Germany https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/steidl-the-art-worlds-go-to-photobook-publisher-faces-insolvency-proceedings-in-germany-1234792400/ A New Perspective on Munch’s Famous Frieze, How NYC’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit Transformed the Art Market: Morning Links for July 16, 2026 https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/a-new-perspective-on-munchs-famous-frieze-how-nycs-antiquities-trafficking-unit-transformed-the-art-market-morning-links-for-july-16-2026-1234792361/