The art of stealing art is an ancient and intricate crime. When you study some of the most famous cases in history, you see meticulously planned jobs that involve art fakers, art dealers, ransoms, mobsters, and millions of dollars. Allow me to use some of your time to share what I have found out about the most famous cases of art theft in history.
The First Theft of Famous Art:
The earliest known documented case of art theft was in 1473. Two sections of the altarpiece of the Last Judgment by the German born painter Hans Memling (who later worked in the Netherlands under Rogier van der Weyden) were stolen. While transporting the triptych by ship from the Netherlands to Florence, the vessel was raided by a privateer from Danzig, Poland (now Gdansk) who removed it to the Gdansk Cathedral in Poland. Now, the piece can be found at the National Museum in Gdansk, Poland where it was recently moved from the Basilica of the Assumption. Recently as in the twentieth century, the exact date is not known.
The Most Famous Theft Art:
The most famous case of art theft consists of one of the most famous paintings in the entire world and one really famous painter as a suspect. On the night of August 21, 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen out of the Louver Museum in Paris, France. Immediate after, Pablo Picasso, of (all people) was detained and questioned by the police, but was soon after released. Picasso was fingered by his friend, Guillaume Apollinaire, who also was arrested by police because he had threatened to burn down the Louver Museum. Two years had passed before Parisian police were able to crack the case. It just so happened that the 30×21 inch masterpiece was stolen by a museum employee named Vincenzo Peruggia, who simply walked out of the museum with it hidden under his coat. Obviously, Peruggia took his risk for a big payday. The crime was thoughtfully planned by a small time con man, Eduardo de Valfierno, who was employed by an art copier who intended to make copies of the smiling lady and try to sell them as the original. Hand drawn copies that is.
As Yves Chaudron, the art faker was busy trying to produce a suitable copy of the famous masterpiece, the true Mona Lisa was still hidden inside Peruggias apartment. After two long years in which Peruggia did not hear from Chaudron, he tried to do his best to profit from his stolen good. Peruggia was eventually caught by the Parisian police while attempting to sell the Mona Lisa to an art dealer from Italy. The Mona Lisa was finally returned to the Louver in 1913. The Mona Lisa has survived numerous attempts of vandalism and thievery over her 500 plus year lifetime. She now is protected by a glass enclosure, which we hope keeps her safe for generations to come.
The Most Expensive Art Theft in American History:
The most expensive art theft in the American history happened at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. During the night on March 18, 1990, a group of crooks dressed as Boston cops broke into the museum and took thirteen canvases whose combined value was totaled at three hundred million dollars. The keystone crooks took paintings by Rembrandt, Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633), A Lady and Gentleman in Black (1633) and a Self-Portrait (1634) and works of Vermeer, Manet, Degas, Govaert Flinck, as well as a Rembrandts etching on paper, and a Chinese vase, all taken from the second floor.
Still today the case remains unsolved. According to recent rumors, the Feds are checking into the possibility that the Mob along with rogue French art dealers may be responsible for carrying out the crime. The Gardener Museum has a $5 million dollar reward that remains uncollected. All one needs to do is supply police with information as to the whereabouts of the paintings, and if recovered in good condition by authorities the reward can be collected.
The Scream:
The Scream, by Edvard Munchs, is the most desired painting by art crooks in history. It has been taken not once but twice a number rivaled by the Mona Lisa, and was found in 1994, during the Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, The painting was removed from an Oslo gallery by two bad guys who entered through an open window, set off the alarm system and left a note saying: "thank you for the poor security".
A few months later, the possessors of the painting contacted the Norwegian Government with a bold offer: 1 million dollars for the return of Edvard Munchs The Scream. The Government turned down the offer, but the Norwegian police along with British Police and the Getty Museum organized a sting operation that brought the painting back to where it belongs.
Ten years later, The Scream was once again stolen from the Munch Museum. The robbers used a handgun the second time and stole another of Munchs paintings. Museum officials waited for thieves to request a ransom, as rumors began to swirl around about the two paintings having been burned to conceal evidence. Eventually, the two paintings where discovered by Norwegian police on August 31, 2006. The facts on how they were recovered have not been revealed. I wonder why all the mystery.
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