英闻天下——266 Stolen Matisse to Return to Venezuela

 　　A painting by Henri Matisse stolen more than a decade ago from a museum in Venezuela will soon be returned to the country.

 

　　The painting, "Odalisque in Red Pants," is to be returned from the United States within three to five weeks.

 

　　Raul Grioni is president of Venezuela's Cultural Patrimony¹ Institute,

 

　　"Our understanding is that when it is shown that the painting belongs to us, because we hadn't had the chance to present this paperwork before, then the U.S. State Department will facilitate the repatriation² of the art work."

 

　　Venezuelan authorities say the 1925 painting, which is valued at about 3 million US dollars, was stolen from the Caracas museum in 2000.

 

　　It was found in July when a couple tried to sell it to undercover FBI agents at a hotel in Miami Beach.

 

　　The two were sentenced last month at a US federal court in Miami for attempting to sell the stolen work.

 

　　The US State Department contacted Venezuelan officials to begin the process of returning the Matisse painting after the trial concluded.

 

　　The painting will arrive at the Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art once officials complete necessary requirements to ship it and verify its authenticity³.

1 patrimony   

n.世袭财产，继承物

参考例句：

• I left my parents' house,relinquished my estate and my patrimony.我离开了父母的家，放弃了我的房产和祖传财产。
• His grandfather left the patrimony to him.他的祖父把祖传的财物留给了他。

2 repatriation   

n.遣送回国，归国

参考例句：

• The Volrep programme is the preferred means of repatriation. 政府认为自愿遣返计划的遣返方法较为可取。 来自互联网
• Arrange the cargo claiming and maritime affairs,crews repatriation,medical treatment,traveling so on. （六）洽办货物理赔，船舶海事处理，办理船员遣返，就医，旅游等。 来自互联网

3 authenticity   

n.真实性

参考例句：

• There has been some debate over the authenticity of his will. 对于他的遗嘱的真实性一直有争论。
• The museum is seeking an expert opinion on the authenticity of the painting. 博物馆在请专家鉴定那幅画的真伪。