© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

French museum finds a missing painting in Madonna's personal collection

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

So, Ari, if you're trying to track down some missing art, you might want to check the collections of the rich and famous.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Yeah. So it happens a museum in Amiens, France, has managed to trace an oil painting to none other than the queen of pop herself, Madonna.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "VOGUE")

MADONNA: (Singing) Come on. Vogue. Let your body move to the music.

SHAPIRO: The painting, thought to be by Jerome-Martin Langlois, was commissioned by Louis the XVIII to hang in Versace. It was completed in 1822 and eventually moved to the Musee de Picardie in Amiens.

CHANG: But when the city was bombed during World War I, the painting was believed to have been destroyed. That was until it was spotted behind Madonna when she appeared in Paris Match magazine.

SHAPIRO: The pop singer had bought it at an auction back in 1989.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

BRIGITTE FOURE: (Speaking French).

SHAPIRO: This is the mayor of the Amiens, Brigitte Foure, reaching out to Madonna in a video message, asking for a loan.

CHANG: Amiens is in the running to be named the cultural capital of Europe, which will be decided by the European Union in 2028. The city is hoping that a loan and a possible visit from Madonna herself will raise its profile on the cultural map.

SHAPIRO: The singer hasn't responded yet, but we will be watching to see if the museum has the painting hung up on its walls soon.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HUNG UP")

MADONNA: (Singing) I'm hung up. I'm hung up on you. Waiting for your call, baby, night and day - I'm fed up. I'm tired of waiting on you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.