What's with European museums and robbers? I've rarely or never heard Asian or American museums get robbed.
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Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
21–30 of 240 posts
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#22What is the end goal for the thieves? Seeing as you obviously can't sell stolen artwork on the open market- how many insanely wealthy private collectors can there be out there, who are willing to risk substantial prison time to own a stolen painting? I think many or most people who have that much money probably made it legally and don't have that kind of risk tolerance. And I doubt many mob boss/Tony Soprano types re…
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/magazine/what-is-the-valu...
art theft also makes for good journalism (about the same theft, heist story) https://www.nrc.nl/kunsthal-en/
and its still profitable, for people who are good at it. https://www.gq.com/story/secrets-of-the-worlds-greatest-art-...
war is a little different, but leads to similar results https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2014/04/degenerate-art-corne...
finally, not so much direct theft, but Art World Satan (his own self curated image) Stefan Simchowitz is interesting in his own right, buying up all of someones paintings before they are famous, and flipping them, once he hypes them up enough as the next big thing. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/magazine/the-art-worlds-p... https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/08/is-silicon-valley-de... https://hyperallergic.com/452852/the-notorious-stefan-simcho... https://hyperallergic.com/172910/stefan-simchowitz-isnt-as-c... https://www.lamag.com/longform/man-art-gallery-owners-love-h... https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-12/hot-new-a... https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-02-06/art-flipp... https://www.vulture.com/2014/03/saltz-on-the-great-and-power...
>Ulman had not yet heard all the stories about Simchowitz’s generosity and its fatal attraction for young, penniless artists whom he lured into Faustian bargains. He would provide them with “all those adult things” they needed and so often lacked: room, board, materials. In exchange for extraordinary support, Simchowitz asked not for his artists’ souls but for their art, a deal that many of his protégés lived to regret.
one more about the girl whos legs got destroyed in the grayhound accident https://outline.com/LgJMGd
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#23I'm surprised that, at this point, there are still originals in museums, especially for very desirable works as some replicas are hard to tell apart from the original. It can be done. If they hire professional 'replicators', this type of museum theft could be completely eradicated. Another possibility is that maybe in this case a replica was stolen and the museum doesn't want to divulge that. And want to add that thi…
One of the draws of going to a museum is to see the originals. If you know it's a fake then it takes away from the mystique.
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#24Photo of the artwork is missing from apnews. You can find one here - https://news.artnet.com/art-world/thieves-stolen-van-gogh-ma...
The muted greenish brown colouring, the strange wide aspect ratio, the generally dark tone and setting: if you'd try to sell this to me as a Van Gogh painting, I would have probably laughed at you. I'm far from being an art historian, but it looks quite out of character for a Van Gogh.
It's how his earlier works looked like
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#25What is the end goal for the thieves? Seeing as you obviously can't sell stolen artwork on the open market- how many insanely wealthy private collectors can there be out there, who are willing to risk substantial prison time to own a stolen painting? I think many or most people who have that much money probably made it legally and don't have that kind of risk tolerance. And I doubt many mob boss/Tony Soprano types re…
If you can get the goods to the Middle East (Qatar, UAE, Bahrain) I assure you there are filthy rich princes and sheikhs who (1) want to give the impression of a respect for fine art, and (2) are at absolutely no risk of prosecution, and (3) would drop the money just for fun / social posturing, not even as an investment.
Oligarchs, shady statesmen, (cyber)criminals, druglords, warlords. I'm sure there are plenty of people in the market for stolen work from one of the most famous painters.
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#26Photo of the artwork is missing from apnews. You can find one here - https://news.artnet.com/art-world/thieves-stolen-van-gogh-ma...
The muted greenish brown colouring, the strange wide aspect ratio, the generally dark tone and setting: if you'd try to sell this to me as a Van Gogh painting, I would have probably laughed at you. I'm far from being an art historian, but it looks quite out of character for a Van Gogh.
And composition is primitive also for a Van Gogh. The figure is well placed, but the tree at the left is asking for an axe. The same artist than studied the color theory to place the right combinations of colours close. Early work, or trying to be 'realistic', I suppose.
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#27What is the end goal for the thieves? Seeing as you obviously can't sell stolen artwork on the open market- how many insanely wealthy private collectors can there be out there, who are willing to risk substantial prison time to own a stolen painting? I think many or most people who have that much money probably made it legally and don't have that kind of risk tolerance. And I doubt many mob boss/Tony Soprano types re…
If you can get the goods to the Middle East (Qatar, UAE, Bahrain) I assure you there are filthy rich princes and sheikhs who (1) want to give the impression of a respect for fine art, and (2) are at absolutely no risk of prosecution, and (3) would drop the money just for fun / social posturing, not even as an investment.
They might even be under the impression that they are negotiating with / buying from a rightful owner.
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can't find the source, but I remember reading about how there's a lifecycle to stolen art. The thief sells it to a sketchy art dealer at a huge discount. The sketchy art dealer then sells it to a more legitimate dealer at less of a discount. Then, it either goes to a legitimate private collector or museum. The length of time between each step can span decades, but it becomes more valuable at each transition.
For a van Gogh that would never work. No legitimate art dealer would touch it. Regardless of the amount of time in between.
Give it enough time, and will anyone even know who the rightful owner is supposed to be? I have a feeling van Gogh's fame will probably outlast the Netherlands, let alone a claim of legal ownership by one museum.
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#29What is the end goal for the thieves? Seeing as you obviously can't sell stolen artwork on the open market- how many insanely wealthy private collectors can there be out there, who are willing to risk substantial prison time to own a stolen painting? I think many or most people who have that much money probably made it legally and don't have that kind of risk tolerance. And I doubt many mob boss/Tony Soprano types re…
Apparently they can be used as collateral between criminals for loans. They can also be used as an insurance policy if the criminal is ever caught. Offer to exchange the art for a lesser sentence. A literal get out of jail free card.
Re: Dutch museum says van Gogh painting stolen in overnight raid
#30What is the end goal for the thieves? Seeing as you obviously can't sell stolen artwork on the open market- how many insanely wealthy private collectors can there be out there, who are willing to risk substantial prison time to own a stolen painting? I think many or most people who have that much money probably made it legally and don't have that kind of risk tolerance. And I doubt many mob boss/Tony Soprano types re…
It may not be presented to prospective buyers under truthful conditions.