The state has owned “Ecce Homo!” for years and it recently acquired “Christ Before Pilate”, another of the three, from Canada’s Art Gallery of Hamilton for 5.7 million dollars, with funding from the National Bank of Hungary’s programme to buy national art treasures.

Ferenc Gerhardt, deputy governor of the central bank, said on public television last week that the bank would pay 6 million dollars to acquire the painting, though Pákh is asking for 9 million dollars.

Pákh said that the painting would be removed on June 25. „Until then, if the opinion of the National Bank of Hungary or its deputy governor, Ferenc Gerhardt, changes, or if another government body or institution shows interest in the painting, I am at their disposal,” he added.

Pákh noted that Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Fine Art Asset Management had appraised the painting and all had put its value around 10 million dollars.

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MTI photo: Czeglédi Zsolt