Art Theft Most Famous Cases in History
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Art Theft: The Most Famous Cases in History
Summary
This article reviews some of the most notorious art thefts in history, including the heists of the Mona Lisa and Edvard Munch's The Scream.---
Art theft is a complex crime that dates back centuries. It's often marked by meticulous planning and involves a cast of characters, including art dealers, fakers, mobsters, and millions of dollars in stolen artwork. Here, we explore some of the most famous art thefts in history.
The First Theft
The earliest recorded art theft took place in 1473. Two panels of a Last Judgment altarpiece by Dutch painter Hans Memling were hijacked by pirates while being transported by ship from the Netherlands to Florence. The stolen artwork ended up in Gdansk Cathedral in Poland, where it remains on display at the National Museum in Gdansk.The Most Famous Theft
One of the most renowned art heists involved the theft of the Mona Lisa, arguably the world's most famous painting. On the night of August 21, 1911, the Mona Lisa vanished from the Louvre. Pablo Picasso was initially a suspect but was soon cleared.The crime was eventually solved two years later when it was discovered that Vincenzo Peruggia, a museum employee, had hidden the painting under his coat and walked out with it. The mastermind behind the theft was the infamous con man Eduardo de Valfierno, who planned to sell forgeries of the Mona Lisa, crafted by forger Yves Chaudron. The painting remained in Peruggia's apartment until he tried to sell it to an art dealer in Florence, leading to his arrest and the painting's return to the Louvre in 1913.
The Largest U.S. Theft
The largest art heist in U.S. history occurred at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on March 18, 1990. Disguised as police officers, the thieves stole 13 pieces valued at approximately $300 million, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Manet. Despite numerous investigations, the artwork remains missing, and the case is unsolved. Rumors suggest that the Boston Mob and French art dealers might be involved.The Scream
Edvard Munch's The Scream is another painting that has repeatedly tempted art thieves. It was first stolen during the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics. Thieves broke into an Oslo gallery and left a note taunting the gallery's poor security. Three months later, they demanded a $1 million ransom, which the Norwegian Government refused. Collaborating with British police and the Getty Museum, Norwegian authorities conducted a sting operation to recover the painting.A decade later, The Scream was stolen once more from the Munch Museum, along with another of Munch's works. The robbers were armed, and rumors circulated that the paintings had been burned to destroy evidence. However, Norwegian police recovered them on August 31, 2006. The details of their recovery remain undisclosed.
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These cases highlight the enduring allure and challenges of protecting treasured artworks from theft.
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