Sharp-Eyed Arts Professionals Help Recover Stolen Eastman Johnson Paintings

September 1, 2026 — When we talk about catalogues raisonnés protecting artists' legacies, this kind of dramatic good news is part of the story.

Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers and Brandon’s Art and Antiques helped recover two stolen paintings missing for 48 years—in part thanks to the Eastman Johnson digital catalogue raisonné. Congratulations to all on the recovery!

Here’s the story from Shannon’s, and additional news coverage.

Sandra Germain, Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers Owner, stands with Eric Baumgartner, Senior Vice President and Director, American Paintings & Sculpture at Hirschl & Adler Galleries, before Eastman Johnson’s “The Young Mother.” Image courtesy Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers.

The Eastman Johnson Catalogue Raisonné, by Patricia Hills and Abigael MacGibeny and stewarded by the National Academy of Design, compiles more than 900 of Johnson’s paintings and more than 400 drawings and prints, organized thematically and catalogued with their titles, dates, media, dimensions, inscriptions, current owners, provenance, exhibition histories, and bibliographies.

The catalogue’s role in the recovery of the stolen works—Mary and Her Lamb and The Young Mother—is a clear demonstration of the protective power of digital catalogues raisonnés. First, the record of its theft was immediately accessible to and shareable by the vigilant professionals who spotted the works in an estate collection. And second, the record can potentially be updated to reflect the works’ recovery—digital publication allows for continuous adjustment as events warrant.

Browse the entire Eastman Johnson Catalogue Raisonné here.