British painting stolen by mobsters is returned to owner’s son – 54 years later

The John Opie painting, The Schoolmistress (FBI via AP)

An 18th century British painting stolen by mobsters in 1969 has been returned more than half a century later to the family that bought the artwork during the Great Depression, the FBI has said.

The John Opie painting — titled The Schoolmistress — is the sister painting of a similar work housed in the Tate Britain art gallery in London.