In 2009 while watching “Stewart Little” (1999), Hungarian art historian Gergely Barki saw the painting “Sleeping Lady with Black Vase” by Róbert Berény

In 2009 while watching “Stewart Little” (1999), Hungarian art historian Gergely Barki saw the painting “Sleeping Lady with Black Vase” by Róbert Berény. 

It had been missing for 90 years and had been used as a prop. It was the original.

The painting disappeared in the 1920s, but Barki recognised it immediately even though he had only seen a faded black-and-white photo from an exhibition in 1928.

He sent a flurry of emails to staff at the film’s makers, Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures, and received a reply from a former set designer on the film – two years later.

“She said the picture had been hanging on her wall,” Barki said.