Brazen Art Thief Still on the Run
By: Claudia Wainwright
October 10th, 2020
A bold and brash art heist took place this Sunday evening just before the museum was closing. Although the theft was thwarted within 24 hours, it has sent shock waves through the art world, museums and exhibitions in the City are being asked to step up security,
“View of Auvers-sur-Oise” by Paul Cézanne, a 1999 (December 31) village landscape piece is part of a popular exhibition in The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England
The thief was dressed in dark clad clothing and was assumed to be an employee by many of the museum goers. Within mere minutes of entering the museum, he seized the frame and walked out of the gallery, all while watched by patrons. By the time the customers had realised what was going on and the theft was reported, it was too late.
“View of Auvers-sur-Oise” by Paul Cézanne. The painting was not damaged, and will be returned to exhibition shortly
Continue reading for 9 other famous art works stolen.
“Landscape with Cottages” by Rembrandt van Rijn
1.
On September 16th, 2002, Rembrandt van Rijn’s painting “Landscape with Cottages” was stolen from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada by armed robbers. The heist was worth an estimated $1 million at the time; estimated in 2003 to have appreciated to $5 million.
“Venus Pudica” by Paulus Pontius
2.
“Venus Pudica” by Paulus Pontius was stolen on February 11th, 2010. The artwork was on display at Hübner Palace, Budapest, Hungary and worth an estimated $1,000,000 . This piece of one of Paulus Pontius’s rare painting and was stolen from the Palace by robbers using force.
Man with a Pipe, by Jean Metzinger
3.
Lawrence University ‘s Wriston Art Center Galleries fell victim to an art theft July 27th, 1998. Jean Metzinger’s “Man with a Pipe” was taken from from Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin while in transit on loan. The artifacts were estimated to be worth a total value of $2 million.
"Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence” by Caravaggio
4.
"Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence,” the 1609 painting by Caravaggio, was stolen on October 16th, 1996 from San Lorenzo, Italy. The painting is large, measuring almost six square metres (actual size 268 cm x 197 cm) and hung above the altar. Probably because of its size, it was removed from its frame by the thief or thieves (two suspected) before being taken out of the church. After it was stolen, the Oratory was pillaged of other artworks, along with choir stalls of carved and gilded wood and benches inlaid with precious woods and mother of pearl.
“The Painter on His Way to Work” by Vincent Van Gogh
5.
The Stassfurt salt mines art repository near Magdeburg, Germany was targeted on April 12th, 1999 for one of Vincent Van Gogh’s original pieces, “The Painter on His Way to Work”. The work is now listed as "missing" on the Monuments Men's Most Wanted website, the work's value is inestimable.
“Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci’s
6.
On August 21, 1991 Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was stolen from the Musée du Louvre, Paris. This theft was the believed cause of the painting's continued and increasing fame. The Louvre was closed for an entire week to aid the investigation and recovery of the work which was achieved 2 years later. Assessed in 1962 at $100 million. Adjusted for inflation it would be worth $782 million today.
“A Summer's Day (Un jour d'été)” by Berthe Morisot
7.
“A Summer's Day (Un jour d'été)” by Berthe Morisot went missing on 12 April 2006 from the Tate Gallery, London. Stolen in broad daylight by Paul Hogan and Bill Fogarty to highlight Ireland's claim to the Hugh Lane bequest of 39 important works of art (including A Summer's Day. The painting was returned anonymously several days later via the Irish Embassy and is estimated at a total £7m today.
The Gardener (or, Young Peasant)” by Vincent van Gogh
8.
May 19, 1998 brought the disappearance of “The Gardener (or, Young Peasant)” by Vincent van Gogh from Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome. The theft included two paintings by Van Gogh and one by Paul Cezanne. Recovered by the Carabinieri Art Squad a few weeks later, the three paintings estimated combined value of $34 million
“The Scream (Der Schei der Natur)” by Edvard Munch
9.
“The Scream”, one of Edvard Munch’s most famous works was stolen not once, but twice, most recently on August 22, 2004. The Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway was entered by masked gunmen who proceeded to walk out with this and one other painting. They were luckily photographed as they escaped with the pieces.