Art Theft Most Famous Cases in History
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Art Theft: The Most Famous Cases in History
Summary
Explore some of the most notorious art thefts in history, including the thefts of the Mona Lisa and The Scream.---
Art theft is a crime as old as art itself. These heists often involve intricate plans, art dealers, fakes, criminals, and huge sums of money. Let's delve into some of the most famous art theft cases in history.
The First Recorded Theft
In 1473, the first documented art theft occurred when two panels from Hans Memling's Last Judgment altarpiece were stolen. While being shipped from the Netherlands to Florence, pirates hijacked the vessel and took the artwork to the Gdańsk Cathedral in Poland. Today, these pieces are housed in the National Museum in Gdańsk.The Most Famous Heist
Perhaps the most legendary art theft involved the Mona Lisa, one of the world's most renowned paintings. On the night of August 21, 1911, it vanished from the Louvre. Surprisingly, Pablo Picasso was briefly arrested but soon released.The mystery unfolded two years later when Parisian police discovered that Vincenzo Peruggia, a museum employee, had hidden the 30x21-inch painting under his coat. He acted on behalf of a con man, Eduardo de Valfierno, who planned to sell forgeries of the painting, crafted by art faker Yves Chaudron. After two years without hearing from Chaudron, Peruggia attempted to sell the original to a dealer in Florence. He was caught, and the Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre in 1913.
The Largest Heist in the U.S.
The biggest art theft in U.S. history occurred at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. On March 18, 1990, thieves dressed in police uniforms stole 13 artworks valued at around $300 million. Among the missing pieces were works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Manet, Degas, Govaert Flinck, and others.To this day, none of the artworks have been recovered. Recent investigations suggest possible involvement by the Boston Mob and French art dealers.
The Scream
Edvard Munch’s The Scream is one of the most sought-after targets for art thieves. It has been stolen twice and later recovered each time. In 1994, during the Lillehammer Winter Olympics, thieves broke into an Oslo gallery through a window, leaving a note mocking the security.Three months later, the thieves demanded a $1 million ransom from the Norwegian government. The government refused, and, with British police and the Getty Museum’s help, they conducted a sting operation that led to its recovery.
In 2004, The Scream was stolen again from the Munch Museum, along with another of Munch’s paintings. Rumors suggested they were destroyed to conceal the theft, but both were found by Norwegian police on August 31, 2006. Details of their recovery remain undisclosed.
These historical cases of art theft highlight the enduring allure and incredible lengths to which people will go to possess these priceless artworks.
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