New York ( CNN ) -- A 19th-century artwork by French artist Edgar Degas will be returned to France nearly four decades after it was stolen , officials said Thursday . The painting , `` Blanchisseuses souffrant des dent '' ( `` Laundry Women with Toothache , '' ) was taken in 1973 from the Malraux Museum in Le Havre , in Normandy , France , according to a statement from the US District Attorney in Eastern New York . It had been on loan from the French government , which considers the painting a national treasure . The piece did not resurface until October this year when it appeared in a catalog from the auction house Sotheby 's , it said . U.S. customs officials , working with authorities from INTERPOL , said the painting was consigned to French art collector Ronald Grelsamer . Grelsamer said his father gave him the painting as a gift , but was unaware that it was stolen , the statement said . Sotheby 's said they had nothing indicating that the painting was stolen , saying it did not appear in any of its lost art databases , said company spokeswoman Diana Phillips . The auction house had a longstanding relationship with Grelsamer without incident , she added . `` Sotheby 's is happy to have been able to be involved in this discovery , and we are pleased that this painting will be returned to the government of France , '' Phillips said . The U.S. District Attorney office says that Greslamer intends to seek compensation for the painting . `` The return of this masterpiece to the French government reflects our commitment to ensure the return of stolen artwork and cultural patrimony , '' it said in a written statement . The 6.25-inch-by-8.5-inch piece -- painted between 1870 and 1872 -- has an estimated value of $ 350,000 to $ 450,000 , the statement said , quoting the company catalogue . The painting reflects a break from the academic focus of Degas ' early years when he dedicated himself to the `` search for the essence of modern life , '' said Sotheby 's spokeswoman Lauren Gioai . `` The 1870s gave rise to some of Degas most celebrated works , '' she said .
19th - century painting will be returned to France almost four decades after it was stolen . ` ` Blanchisseuses souffrant des dent '' was taken in 1973 from the Malraux collection . The painting did not resurface until 2006 when it appeared on Sotheby 's website .