Stealing Rembrandts
The Untold Stories of Notorious Art Heists
-
- $17.99
Publisher Description
Anthony M. Amore and Tom Mashberg's Stealing Rembrandts is a spellbinding journey into the high-stakes world of art theft
Today, art theft is one of the most profitable criminal enterprises in the world, exceeding $6 billion in losses to galleries and art collectors annually. And the masterpieces of Rembrandt van Rijn are some of the most frequently targeted.
In Stealing Rembrandts, art security expert Anthony M. Amore and award-winning investigative reporter Tom Mashberg reveal the actors behind the major Rembrandt heists in the last century. Through thefts around the world - from Stockholm to Boston, Worcester to Ohio - the authors track daring entries and escapes from the world's most renowned museums. There are robbers who coolly walk off with multimillion dollar paintings; self-styled art experts who fall in love with the Dutch master and desire to own his art at all costs; and international criminal masterminds who don't hesitate to resort to violence. They also show how museums are thwarted in their ability to pursue the thieves - even going so far as to conduct investigations on their own, far away from the maddening crowd of police intervention, sparing no expense to save the priceless masterpieces.
Stealing Rembrandts is an exhilarating, one-of-a-kind look at the black market of art theft, and how it compromises some of the greatest treasures the world has ever known.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Art history meets C.S.I. in this account of the theft of works by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, the most prolific master painter of the Dutch Golden Age. Amore and Mashberg narrate heists ranging from noir to farce, weaving in details about the historical relevance of each work and background on the artist. Some thieves prove more cunning than others, but the star is Myles Connor, the mastermind behind a daring lift from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts that is reminiscent of a Hollywood movie. Even on paper, Connor comes off so beguiling and debonair that his chapter outshines the occasionally lackluster companion pieces. However, these cases provide insight into the psychology and even the philosophy of art thieves. They also provoke questions about the purpose of such thefts given that it is nearly impossible to re-sell world famous pieces of art. Overall, the authors convey the importance of Rembrandt's works as historical and cultural touchstones and argue that art theft is a "crime against all of us." Amore himself is plagued by the theft of three Rembrandts from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where he serves as head of security. That mystery, for now, remains unsolved. Photos.
