Friday, February 29, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Lucian Freud's stolen "Francis Bacon"
Chloe Hubbard
February 21, 2008
Art History
In 1988, Lucian Freud’s painting Francis Bacon was stolen in Berlin while it was on loan from the Tate Gallery. This may seem like your average art heist it is actually very different from other stolen art theft’s because of how the artist, Lucian Freud, reacted. In 2001, an exhibition of Lucian Freud’s work was going to be displayed as a tribute to the artist on his 80th birthday. In a desperate attempt to locate the missing work Lucian Freud put up over 2,500 wanted signs in Berlin to find his missing work. Lucian Freud even sent a direct message to the thief in which he asked “Would the person who holds the painting kindly consider allowing me to show it in my exhibition next June?”. Lucian Freud’s Francis Bacon is considered to be one of three most important pieces in Freud career.. Another interesting fact about this art heist which makes it unusual it that there has been no information about this painting since it was stolen in 1988.
February 21, 2008
Art History
In 1988, Lucian Freud’s painting Francis Bacon was stolen in Berlin while it was on loan from the Tate Gallery. This may seem like your average art heist it is actually very different from other stolen art theft’s because of how the artist, Lucian Freud, reacted. In 2001, an exhibition of Lucian Freud’s work was going to be displayed as a tribute to the artist on his 80th birthday. In a desperate attempt to locate the missing work Lucian Freud put up over 2,500 wanted signs in Berlin to find his missing work. Lucian Freud even sent a direct message to the thief in which he asked “Would the person who holds the painting kindly consider allowing me to show it in my exhibition next June?”. Lucian Freud’s Francis Bacon is considered to be one of three most important pieces in Freud career.. Another interesting fact about this art heist which makes it unusual it that there has been no information about this painting since it was stolen in 1988.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Art Theft and Fraud Crime Reports
Due: Friday, February 22nd
As you’ve probably heard or read, a major art heist occurred at the Bruerle Museum in Zurich, Switzerland last week. Thieves escaped from the museum with over $164.2 million worth of artwork by Cezanne, Degas, van Gogh, and Monet in broad daylight. This is just one of many in a long history of art theft and fraud. Small and large scale operations occur all of the time, all over the world and only a small portion of the work is actually recovered. The circumstances surrounding the cases, while often resulting in tragic losses for the art world, are always fascinating, mysterious, and point out underground crime rings that are otherwise invisible to the average citizen.
For Friday, please research and be prepared to inform the class about one case of art theft or fraud that interests you. (**note that art fraud generally involves forgery of a work and an attempt to sell it as the original). There are many resources available to you online and in print, a few of which are listed below:
FBI Art Theft Department and National Stolen Art File: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/arttheft/arttheft.htm
International Foundation for Art Research:
http://www.ifar.org/
Museum Security Network:
http://www.museum-security.org/wordpress/
Saving Antiquities for Everyone:
http://www.savingantiquities.org/
Interpol:
http://www.interpol.int/default.asp
Site devoted to “Fighting the Illicit Traffic of Cultural Property”: http://icom.museum/illicit.traffic.html
American Association of Museums:
http://www.aam-us.org/
Your crime report should include a description and brief history of the painting and artist, the value of the piece, commentary on the location that it was stolen from, recovery or leads (if any), and any other interesting details that you come across which make that specific instance of theft or fraud unique.
As you’ve probably heard or read, a major art heist occurred at the Bruerle Museum in Zurich, Switzerland last week. Thieves escaped from the museum with over $164.2 million worth of artwork by Cezanne, Degas, van Gogh, and Monet in broad daylight. This is just one of many in a long history of art theft and fraud. Small and large scale operations occur all of the time, all over the world and only a small portion of the work is actually recovered. The circumstances surrounding the cases, while often resulting in tragic losses for the art world, are always fascinating, mysterious, and point out underground crime rings that are otherwise invisible to the average citizen.
For Friday, please research and be prepared to inform the class about one case of art theft or fraud that interests you. (**note that art fraud generally involves forgery of a work and an attempt to sell it as the original). There are many resources available to you online and in print, a few of which are listed below:
FBI Art Theft Department and National Stolen Art File: http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/arttheft/arttheft.htm
International Foundation for Art Research:
http://www.ifar.org/
Museum Security Network:
http://www.museum-security.org/wordpress/
Saving Antiquities for Everyone:
http://www.savingantiquities.org/
Interpol:
http://www.interpol.int/default.asp
Site devoted to “Fighting the Illicit Traffic of Cultural Property”: http://icom.museum/illicit.traffic.html
American Association of Museums:
http://www.aam-us.org/
Your crime report should include a description and brief history of the painting and artist, the value of the piece, commentary on the location that it was stolen from, recovery or leads (if any), and any other interesting details that you come across which make that specific instance of theft or fraud unique.
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