A Swiss museum has launched "an investigation into the provenance" of 28 works donated by a local priest after it was alleged he stole them.

The paintings were left to the Valais Art Museum in Sion by a parish priest from nearby Fully in 1983, but a museum spokesman said the investigation was launched after it was claimed he "built his art collection illegitimately, notably through theft from private individuals".

They said the provenance of the 28 works, all of which are by Charles Frederic Brun, had "never been investigated" because there was "no reason at the time to suspect any illicit acquisitions" but "should one or more instances of looting be confirmed, measures for redress will be defined and implemented".

The museum was opened in 1947 and its collection includes works by Edmond Bille, Marina Abramovic and Leon Zack.

Bad news for British Museum boss Nicholas Cullinan who is the man in charge as it is knocked off top spot as the UK's most popular tourist attraction.

Fortunately for him, he has one of the most talked-about shows in decades on its way with museum insiders expecting the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry to pull in around 7.5 million people.

That alone would be an improvement on the 6.4 million who visited last year, according to figures released by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, which was trumped by London's Natural History Museum which was the most visited attraction with 7.1 million people passing through its doors.

Not that its director, Doug Gurr, seems much happier than his counterpart. He chose the day the results were announced to describe his attempts at walking through the thronging crowds as "doing the chicane".

He told the Daily Telegraph: "It’s great to have so many visitors, but obviously there is a point when you’ve still got to make sure that you provide great, fun, engaging family days out. We don’t want to be too crowded."

Tributes have been paid to jewelry artist Thomas Gentille who died in New York earlier this month aged 89.

Gallery Loupe, which represented him from 2010, described him as an "American master".

He became a jeweler by accident when he took a class in the craft while studying painting at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Gentille rarely used precious metals or jewels, choosing instead to work with materials including wood, glass and acrylic.

His pieces can be seen in the collections of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and London's V&A. His 80th birthday in 2016 was marked with a solo show at Munich's Design Museum.

1 - The organizers of the Sydney Biennale say they have introduced "enhanced conditions of entry" for visitors to its public performances and "active stage management protocols” after controversy over its opening night. It comes after performer DJ Harem is alleged to have claimed the existence of a “Zio-Australian-Epstein empire” during her set at the opening party.

2 - Senga Nengudi has won the $100,000 Rauschenberg Centennial Award organized by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to honor the artist's 100th birthday. Nengudi, whose work includes sculpture, performance and dance was one of four recipients with prizes also awarded for performance, photography and writing.

3 - A collection of Indian paintings and calligraphy will be auctioned at Christie's in London on April 28. The 86 lots come from the collection of Seattle-based Mary and Cheney Cowles who made headlines in 2019 when they gave hundreds of works of Japanese art to the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington D.C.